How ICAI CA New Course will be? Will it help CA Students or is it just an Eyewash?

My Initial thought as per my experience of teaching CA Students since 2011, with examples.

According to rumors (since there's no official update from ICAI), the CA new course will be applicable from May '24.

I started my journey with CA as a student in 2005 and qualified in 2010, after which I began teaching CA students.

How many times have I seen a new course?

I took the CA PE II (also known as PE 2), then came PCC, followed by IPCC, and then CA Intermediate.

This is the fifth time I am seeing a new CA course being introduced.

On the face of it, with the limited information we all have in bits and pieces, the new course looks amazing. Kudos to the think tank of ICAI. But is there a catch? The answer is yes. The success of this course depends on its implementation from the ground level.

The study material, the type of questions being asked, and the way answers are checked - all are important.

We need a change in the substance, not just in the form. You may ask why I am being so skeptical. Well, the answer lies in the first few sentences. As I mentioned earlier, I am seeing this for the fifth time.

I can give you one example. MCQs were introduced in 4 subjects each in CA Inter and CA Final Level, but what is the use if we are asking form numbers and day limits in MCQs from CA Students?

Another thing that needs to be improved is the structuring of ICAI study material and the content of the syllabus. What is the point of teaching 120+ odd GST exemptions to CA students at Inter level? Rather, give them 20 to 30 exemption entries and test them in detail.

Another example on rationalization is from CA Inter audit, 13 chapters in book 1, 26 SAs in Module 2. All of the SAs are already covered in the 13 chapters. Also, the inclusion of entire chapters 9 and 13 of the current CA Inter audit needs to be reconsidered.

One more thing that needs to be changed is that more rights in spirit must be given to students for transfer and industrial training. 

More emphasis on learning new technology must be given again in spirit, not just by writing about that technology in one of the parts of one of the chapters. 

The real difference will not come by shouting or just portraying how great we were and how many buildings, etc. we have made. The real difference will come only by addressing the real issues and improving everything from scratch.

This is a golden opportunity for the torchbearers of the ICAI to bring back the lost shine of the course and make the CA Course great again.

My Hopes for the New ICAI CA New Course:

If implemented well, it will be one of the best things to happen to the CA fraternity. However, based on past experiences, the chances of an amazing implementation are very low. Yes, students will certainly benefit from a decreased duration of article ship and a reduced number of subjects.

Let's just hope for the best."

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Regards

Neeraj Arora