The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has revised the eligibility criteria for empanelment of organisations to impart Industrial Training to CA students. The revised norms come into effect from January 1, 2026, according to an announcement issued by the Members & Students Services Directorate on January 12, 2026.
The changes have been approved by the ICAI Council under Regulation 51(2)(b) of the Chartered Accountants Regulations and aim to streamline industrial training, strengthen institutional capacity, and enhance learning exposure for articled assistants.
Official copy of the notification is as follows
Members & Students Services Directorate
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
12th January, 2026
Announcement
Revised Eligibility Criteria for Empanelment of Organizations to Impart Industrial Training (Effective from 1st January, 2026)
The Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India has revised the eligibility criteria for empanelment of organizations to impart Industrial Training under Regulation 51 (2)(b) effective from 1st January 2026.
Accordingly, the revised eligibility criteria for Empanelment is given as under:Any financial, commercial, or industrial undertaking shall be eligible for empanelment to impart Industrial Training, provided it fulfils any one of the following financial criteria:
- Minimum Fixed assets of ₹10 crore, or
- Minimum Total turnover of ₹50 crore, or
- Minimum Paid-up share capital of ₹1 crore and net worth of ₹5 crore (to be fulfilled jointly),
- and
- A minimum of two full-time working Chartered Accountants, each being a member of ICAI for a continuous period of at least three years.
1. Eligibility for Industrial Training
- An articled assistant who has passed the Intermediate (Professional Competence) Examination or Professional Education (Examination-II) or Intermediate examination and has completed a minimum of twelve months of practical training according to these regulations shall be eligible for industrial training.
2. Entitlement of Industrial Trainees
- Associate Member: An Associate who has been a member for a continuous period of at least three years shall be entitled to train one industrial trainee at a time.
- Fellow Member: A Fellow shall be entitled to train two industrial trainees at a time.
3. Period of Industrial Training
- Industrial Training shall be undergone under a member of the Institute, provided the articled assistant has intimated his/her Principal at least three months in advance of the date of commencement of Industrial Training.
- The period of Industrial Training shall be for a duration ranging between 9 months to 12 months.
4. Validity and Renewal of Empanelment
- Empanelment shall be valid for a period of five (5) years, after which renewal shall be mandatory, subject to fulfilment of the eligibility criteria prevailing at the time of renewal.
- Organizations completing five years of empanelment are required to apply for renewal to continue engaging Industrial Trainees.
- Eligible organizations are advised to ensure timely compliance to avoid any disruption in the engagement of Industrial Trainees.
5. Other Provisions
- An Agreement of Training shall be entered into in the form 104 approved by the Council.
- On satisfactory completion of Industrial Training, the member imparting such training shall forthwith issue a Completion Certificate to the trainee in the form 105 approved by the Council and forward a copy thereof to the Secretary.
- The period of Industrial Training under this regulation shall be treated as service under articles for all purposes of these Regulations, provided the prescribed completion certificate is submitted.
- An articled assistant may also serve as an industrial trainee for a period from six to twelve months in any foreign Country under a member of the accountancy body in that country recognized by the International Federation of Accountants in such manner as may be determined by the Council from time to time.
- A member may depute an industrial trainee for a period of up to three months in any foreign country in such manner as may be decided by the Council.
- Industrial trainees shall be paid a monthly stipend as mutually agreed, subject to a minimum of ₹15,000 per month.
- In the event of any violation of the Chartered Accountants Regulations, 1988, including those relating to excess leave during Industrial Training, ICAI reserves the right to discontinue further registrations and to de-empanel the organization from imparting Industrial Training.
- Notwithstanding anything contained in this regulation, an articled assistant who is already undergoing industrial training, on or before the commencement of the Chartered Accountants (Amendment) Regulations, 2023, shall be eligible to continue and complete the remaining period of industrial training as per agreement of training entered into under sub-regulation (6).
For any query relating to Industrial Training, members and students may write to: sroart[at]icai[dot]in
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