Short answer: Yes, but only if you know what you’re signing up for. CA is still one of the highest respected and paid careers (in India) today, created by the sheer number of years supervised, disciplined, resilient and ultimately committed (4–5 yrs). If you’re seeking financial stability, respect and many career opportunity choices, then Chartered Accountant is worth each and every sleepless night.
- The Basics of Chartered Accountant
- How Long Will It Take You to Become a Chartered Accountant?
- What Are the Salaries for Chartered Accountants Working in India?
- Is Chartered Accountant Still Relevant, In 2026?
- To Be Honest About Becoming a Chartered Accountant
- Who Should Definitely Go for Chartered Accountant
- The Smart Way to Approach Chartered Accountant in 2026
- Careers Alternatives
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Ready for the truth without all the glamor of Instagram, reels and LinkedIn? The truth about being a Chartered Accountant in 2026.
The Basics of Chartered Accountant
CA Full Form: Chartered Accountant
The Chartered Accountant is a qualified finance professional who is authorized by the ICAI (Indian Institute of Chartered Accountants) to audit the company’s financial statements, manage taxation, maintain compliance, and advise the company about financial issues.
You can think of the Chartered Accountant as the “Doctor” of a company’s finances. Just like you would trust your doctor for your health, companies trust Chartered Accountants with their money.
Secondary CA Full Form (not commonly used but good to know):
- Cost Accountant (CMA): This is an additional profession that is regulated by the ICMA (Institute of Cost Management Accountants)
- Company Secretary (CS): This is another professional designation that is associated with the corporate management of the company.
In general, when a person says “I am a Chartered Accountant,” he or she is most likely referring to being a Chartered Accountant through the ICAI.
How Long Will It Take You to Become a Chartered Accountant?
It is this painfully drawn out timeline that many hopeful Chartered Accountants never tell you until you are well into the program:
| Stage | Duration | What You Do |
| Foundation | 4 months | First level exam after completing 12 years of school |
| Intermediate | 8 – 12 months | Two group exams, these are tougher than Foundation exams |
| Articleship | 3 years | Mandatory work for 3 years under the supervision of a practicing Chartered Accountant |
| Final | 6 – 12 months | Last level exam, toughest level. |
| Total Time | 4.5 to 5 years | if you don’t fail on any exam! |
Please realize that the average number of years it takes for completion is 5–7 years because of these three reasons:
- The pass mark for intermediate is approximately 40%.
- The pass mark for the final is approximately 50%.
- Articleship is a tough period for many students and many choose not to complete the period.
You will work 9–10 hours per day as an article clerk with the starting salary of Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 per month (that’s not a typo!).
What Are the Salaries for Chartered Accountants Working in India?
Newly Qualified with No Experience: 0-2 Years
When you first become a Chartered Accountant, you’ll be paid different amounts depending on where you work. At one of the “Big 4” accounting firms (EY, Deloitte, PwC, KPMG), you might expect to be paid between Rs 6 lakh to Rs 9 lakh annually. If you start out at a medium-sized accounting firm, the salary will probably range from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 6 lakh a year, while if you work in the corporate finance department of a business, you’ll earn between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 8 lakh each year.
If you are in government commendable positions, you can expect to receive a payment between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 7 lakh every year. If you start running your own practice at this point in time, you’ll earn between Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh each year, depending on the clientele and/or opportunities you have.
Chartered Accountant with 3-5 Years of Experience:
You have a greater level of experience; you will find the salary range is much larger than it was while working in your first two years as a Chartered Accountant: working in one of the “Big 4” accounting firms or an international company (multinational) will give you a compensation range of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 18 lakh annually, where you will earn between Rs 8 lakh to Rs 15 lakh working in a corporate finance department and if you are a CFO of a small company you will earn between Rs 12 lakh to Rs 20 lakh per year.
If you’ve established your practice and continue to build an established client base, your compensation can increase dramatically and range from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh or more per year, depending on your client’s needs.
Chartered Accountant (7+ Years)
As the time of being fully qualified elapses, there is no upper limit to how much you can earn as an experienced Chartered Accountant. Senior Chartered Accountants may earn over Rs 30 lakh to more than Rs 1 crore annually when becoming CFOs, big firm partners or are successful independent practitioners.
The Reality Check
Many Chartered Accountants experience three (3) years of little or no advancement or pay increases. The reality is that the first 3 years are a struggle on the path to financial security and success. The vast majority of Chartered Accountants do not experience a substantial increase in their salary for at least 5 years after qualified Chartered Accountant due to developing necessary expertise, expanding their professional networks and establishing their reputation as trusted professionals with their client base that will allow more higher paying opportunities.
Is Chartered Accountant Still Relevant, In 2026?
Let’s address the elephant in the room. With the rise of AI, Automation, and new-age finance roles, does Chartered Accountancy have an expiration date?
The answer is no. Here is why:
Why Chartered Accountant is Still Worth It
- Every business has some level of compliance that needs to be maintained. GST, Income Tax, Audit, Financial Reporting, etc. will always be present. Furthermore, compliance & regulations are becoming even stricter.
- You are no longer just a number cruncher; modern day Chartered Accountants provide consulting and fundraising support, assist in start up CFO roles as well as investment advisory services.
- Chartered Accountant’s are recession proof as evidenced during COVID – 19 when the demand for Chartered Accountant services never ceased due to the never ending need for generating revenue through taxation as well as stay in statutory compliance through audits and provide accurate financial reporting.
- Respect and trust of the signature of a Chartered Accountant on any financial document holds a significant legal weight as it pertains to that document therefore being able to command substantial power.
- Charter Accountants have multiple exit options at the end of the respective duration of their career within Corporates either as employees, establish their own practice, Freelance, Academic or possibly through rules permitting Chartered Accountant’s to practice in a different country.
Where Chartered Accountant is Losing Ground
- Technology roles pay much more quickly than Chartered Accountant roles. For example, a software engineer with two years of work experience may earn the same as a Chartered Accountant who has 5 plus years of work experience.
- Articleship is extremely taxing and many articles are forced to quit early because they are underpaid due to working long hours or are subject to toxic work environments.
- The curriculum provided by ICAI is outdated and technology (data analytics, fintech and AI’s impact on financial services) are not included in the syllabus currently.
- Major metropolitan cities are now experiencing saturation with many Chartered Accountant’s.
To Be Honest About Becoming a Chartered Accountant
A Chartered Accountant isn’t for everyone so you need to be honest with yourself about whether or not you actually want to do this.
Please don’t pursue Chartered Accountant if:
- You are looking to make fast money — this is going to take a minimum 5 years of your life to finish. If you need money quickly, you should look into digital skills, sales, or other freelance opportunities.
- You don’t like to take the tests — Chartered Accountant has one of the hardest testing systems in India. So if you are the type of person that will not be okay losing or having to take retests, then this path may ruin your motivation.
- You are taking it for your parents — you will need to be very motivated in completing this program, and if your heart isn’t in it, you will get burnt out during the articleship portion of your program.
- You want to have work-life balance early in your career — expect that you will be working long hours, weekends, and under a lot of stress from articleship, the first few years of your career, and during periods of busyness due to your being on audit.
- You cannot delay gratification for a few years — you will get paid, but it won’t be as fast or as much as your coworkers in tech or sales during your first few years of work.
Who Should Definitely Go for Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountant is a path that could work great for you if you meet the following criteria:
- You’re good with numbers/logical thinking, If math, logical reasoning/accounts/excelling at solving problems excite you, then becoming a Chartered Accountant will come naturally to you.
- You want to be respected/stable, In Indian society, Chartered Accountant is considered one of the most “settled” careers and this alone can be a great source of respect for you; additionally, it can give you more opportunities to find someone to enter into a marriage contract with.
- You’re able to manage a lot of stress, If you’re resilient and able to manage your expectations you should consider pursuing Chartered Accountant, as this career path has you/us working with lots of long-term gains but will require a lot of stress during the beginning years.
- You live in a Tier II or III city, Benefits of less competition in Tier II and III cities with Chartered Accountant schooling and a lower cost of living but, are seeing an increase in Chartered Accountant demand.
The Smart Way to Approach Chartered Accountant in 2026
So if you want to go after it, here’s how you can maximize your time:
- Get started early, enroll after your 12th!, don’t just spend years doing a B.Com first unless you’re that unsure about it.
- Use the articleship effectively by working for firms that will actually teach you something rather than just exploit you. The Big 4 firms look great on your resume, but the smaller firms are going to give you much better hands-on experience working in the industry.
- Develop your side skill set. You should know how to use Excel, Tally, GST software and have at least a basic understanding of data analytics. This will make you more employable.
- Network like crazy! Join Chartered Accountant student associations, attend seminars and other events, connect with seniors and current CAs to help create your own contacts, most job opportunities come through contacts rather than through just having credentials/merit.
- Develop your concentration early. Be clear whether you want to work in corporate finance, private practice or become a specialist (i.e. international tax, forensic auditing, start-up consulting, etc.) and have a plan for how to focus on that area of expertise.
- Stay current with the business world. Read business/finance publications, read up on updates in tax law and economic updates. A Chartered Accountant who understands and can interpret the business world around him/her beyond just numbers will be very valuable to any employer.
Trying to figure out whether CA is the right fit for you?
Use CareerGrowKaro’s Career Clarity Tool to evaluate Chartered Accountant vs other finance and commerce careers based on YOUR unique strengths, city, and goals. Get personalized results in less than 10 minutes!
Careers Alternatives
If you’re undecided between Chartered Accountant & other choices, here’s a comparison:
| Career | Duration | Salary (Starting) | Difficulty | Best For |
| CA | 4-5 Years | 5,00,000 – 8,00,000 | Very High | Finance, Audit, Tax |
| CS | 3-4 Years | 4,00,000 – 6,00,000 | Moderate to High | Corporate Law & Compliance |
| CMA | 3-4 Years | 4,00,000 – 7,00,000 | Moderate | Cost Management & Industry |
| B.Com + MBA | 5 Years | 6,00,000 – 10,00,000 | Moderate | Management & Consulting |
| Data Analytics | 6 Months to 1 Year | 4,00,000 – 8,00,000 | Low to Moderate | Tech, Start-Up |
| Digital Marketing | 3 to 6 Months | 3,00,000 – 6,00,000 | Low | Freelancing / Agencies |
Career Grow Karo is a Tip – If You Are Not 100% Sure About the Career as a Chartered Accountant Then You Should Start the Course From Foundation Level While You Are Exploring Digital Skills on the Side, Then You Can Change Careers Without too Much Time Loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Can I get into Chartered Accountant after B.com?
Yes you can directly apply for Chartered Accountant Intermediate once you graduate although you will still have to do 3 years in articleship so the amount of time you are in the program remains the same.
2) Being a CA is harder than engineering?
Engineering is a lot more concept based, CA is heavy and difficult because of the pass rates and having to put in so many hours of study. Both are difficult in their own ways.
3) Will I earn money while studying to become a Chartered Accountant?
You will earn a small stipend while in articleship however many students find freelance accounting or tutoring jobs on the weekends however you probably won’t earn a significant amount of income until you pass your Chartered Accountant exams.
4) Pass rates for each level of Chartered Accountant certification?
Foundation – approx 30-40% Intermediate – 15-20% for each group and final 10-15% for each group Probably sounds difficult however there are thousands of people who write these exams every year who do pass using their discipline.
5) Is it easy for girls to become a Chartered Accountant?
Yes. There are many female CA’s topping the Chartered Accountant exams. Although articleship can be hard it is becoming more flexible for firms to allow their article clerks to be female. Based on pay alone there aren’t differences between male and female CA’s.
6. Is Chartered Accountant internationally acknowledged?
Yes; however, it depends on which country you want to work in. Indian Chartered Accountants are recognized by nations such as the UAE, Singapore, and the United Kingdom; but must complete additional certifications to maintain their licensure abroad. Many Chartered Accountant graduates find relocating outside of India much easier than graduates from other popular professional programs.
Conclusion
A Chartered Accountant designation is not old-fashioned or a shortcut to riches and it is definitely going to take commitment on your part.
However, if you have patience, discipline and a real interest in finance & accounting, getting your Chartered Accountant designation in India will be one of your best long-term investments; you will have good earnings, respect from your peers, and greater flexibility in your career than most professions.
Generally, the only graduates from the Chartered Accountant program who will regret having obtained their Chartered Accountant are those who entered the program for reasons other than why they “want” to become a Chartered Accountant, including: peer pressure, family expectations and status within their community. Those who successfully completed the program had a realistic expectation of what the demands would be on them and committed to the long-haul.
So do you want to trade five years of hard work to gain 30 years of stability and respect?
If you answered yes to that question, then start your Chartered Accountant Education; if you answered no to that question, then try to find your passion in another career and don’t feel guilty about following your heart. CareerGrowKaro is here to support you either way.
To learn about your options, visit CareerGrowKaro’s comprehensive site on commerce careers, compare CA, CS and CMA and use our free tools to develop your plan for the future.
