Start by deciding the kind of training environment you want — a Big 4 or mid-size firm, a small practice, or industry — because timelines and interview expectations differ for each. Apply through the ICAI placement portal, firm and company career pages, LinkedIn, and referrals from seniors and alumni. Prepare a one-page resume that highlights your CA Intermediate score and relevant skills, and revise accounting, auditing, and current-affairs basics for interviews. Applying early matters, since most CA articleship vacancies close a few months before the joining date.

Big 4 firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG) shortlist article trainees largely on the strength of your CA Intermediate score, so a strong result in both groups gives you a real edge. Apply through each firm's careers portal, watch for ICAI placement drives, and reach out to current or former articles on LinkedIn for referrals, since many openings are filled through references. Interviews usually test communication, accounting and auditing fundamentals, Excel skills, and your genuine interest in audit or tax. Because seats fill fast, start applying as soon as your Intermediate result is declared.

CA articleship training is the compulsory practical training phase of the Chartered Accountancy course, during which a student works under a practising Chartered Accountant to get hands-on experience. Instead of only studying theory, you work on live assignments such as accounting, statutory audit, internal audit, taxation, and compliance. The training is mentored and evaluated, and completing it satisfactorily is mandatory before you can be admitted as a member of ICAI.

Under ICAI's current scheme of education and training, articleship is of two years' duration — reduced from the earlier three years — and it begins after you clear both groups of CA Intermediate. Students registered under the older scheme may still be governed by the three-year requirement. The exact period applicable to you depends on the scheme you registered under, so confirm it on your ICAI student dashboard or with the ICAI office.

ICAI prescribes a minimum monthly stipend for articles, and the amount depends on the population of the city where the firm is located, with increases in the second and subsequent years of training. In practice, actual stipends vary widely — Big 4 and large corporate offices usually pay well above the minimum, while smaller firms often pay closer to the prescribed floor. Check the latest ICAI notification for current minimum rates, and it is perfectly fine to ask about the stipend during the offer stage itself.

CA industrial training is done with a company instead of a CA firm, so the first step is to shortlist organisations whose finance, internal audit, or tax teams take industrial trainees — large corporates, banks, FMCG companies, and consulting firms commonly offer such positions. Apply through company career pages, LinkedIn, and employee referrals with a crisp resume, ideally a few months before you plan to begin. Shortlisting usually depends on your CA Intermediate score, interview performance, and relevant skills, and the training arrangement also needs to meet ICAI's requirements for industrial training.

There is no single fixed stipend for CA industrial training — the company pays the trainee directly, and the amount varies widely with the organisation, city, and role. Many corporates pay more than the ICAI-prescribed minimum, and finance-heavy roles at larger companies tend to be at the higher end. The most reliable way to know is to check the trainee opening's job posting or ask the HR team, since stipends are rarely standardised across companies.

A CA industrial trainee is a Chartered Accountancy student who completes part of the mandatory practical training inside a company's finance function rather than at a CA firm. Industrial trainees work within teams such as financial reporting, internal audit, taxation, treasury, or planning and analysis, gaining direct exposure to how a corporate manages its accounts and compliance. Many students prefer this route for the corporate work culture, brand value, and placement prospects it can offer after qualifying.

The CA Intermediate exam is the second level of the Chartered Accountancy course in India, conducted by ICAI, and you become eligible for it after passing CA Foundation or through the direct entry route after graduation. Under the current scheme, it consists of six papers divided into two groups, covering subjects like advanced accounting, taxation, corporate law, costing, auditing, and financial management. Clearing both groups is what makes you eligible to begin your practical training.

CA Intermediate is divided into two groups of three papers each under the current scheme. Group 1 covers Advanced Accounting, Corporate and Other Laws, and Taxation, while Group 2 covers Cost and Management Accounting, Auditing and Ethics, and Financial Management and Strategic Management. You can attempt both groups together in one sitting or clear them one at a time, but both must be passed to complete the level and move towards articleship. To pass a group, you need at least 40% in each paper and 50% in aggregate.

Most students need around eight to ten months of focused preparation to cover the entire CA Intermediate syllabus comfortably, though this varies with whether you are attempting one group or both. Plan in phases — concept building, question practice, and at least two full revisions — followed by mock tests and past papers in the final stretch. Direct entry students managing a job or college alongside preparation should budget extra time, and a written, week-wise study plan makes a big difference to consistency.

ICAI's own study material should be your primary resource, since exam questions are largely based on it and it stays aligned with the latest syllabus and amendments. Build your preparation around it and supplement it with RTPs, MTPs, previous attempt question papers, and short self-made revision notes for the last few weeks. Coaching modules or recorded lectures can help where a concept is unclear, but treat them as support rather than a replacement for the official CA Intermediate study material.

Registration is done online through the ICAI Self Service Portal. After logging in, select the Intermediate course, fill in your details, upload the required documents, and pay the registration fee online — the amount depends on whether you register for a single group or both. You can register after passing CA Foundation, or through the direct entry route if you are a graduate, with 55% required for commerce graduates and 60% for others. Once registered, remember there is an eight-month study period before you become eligible to appear for your first attempt.

Most CA articleship interview questions come from four areas: your resume, core concepts, general awareness, and fit for the firm. Revise basic accounting and auditing fundamentals, go through recent budget and current-affairs headlines, and prepare clear answers for questions like why you want audit or tax and why that particular firm. Research the firm's practice areas, rehearse your introduction, and do at least one mock interview so you can structure your answers confidently instead of freezing under pressure.

A CA articleship resume works best when it is one page and front-loads what firms actually screen for: your CA Intermediate score, academic record, and skills such as Excel, Tally or other accounting software, and communication. Add relevant certifications, internships or projects, positions of responsibility, and achievements that show discipline and initiative. Keep the format clean and consistent, tailor the profile summary to the firm you are applying to, and proofread carefully — errors in a CV create a poor first impression in articleship applications.