The duration of CA Articleship is two years under a practicing Chartered Accountant in practice. To register for articleship, students must complete both groups of the CA Intermediate course. Students who are pursuing the practical training are called articles, and the CA under whom they work is called the Principal.

After the release of the CA Intermediate result, the CA Articleship application will be available.

What is Articleship Training in CA?

CA Articleship is an important component and the third stage of the Chartered Accountancy course. During the time of practical training, students have a chance to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world situations and gain hands-on experience. 

In the articleship training, the major tasks that are performed by an article are Auditing, Taxation, ROC Compliance, Filing tax returns, preparing financial statements, and so on.

CA Articleship Registration Fees

Along with Form 103, students need to submit the articleship registration fee of Rs. 2000 through demand draft. Students who have already paid the articleship fees at the time of registration then do not have to pay it. 

Late Submission Fees for CA Articleship Registration

Due to any reason, if the article fails to submit the Form 103 within 30 days, then they need to attach a handwritten application which explains the reason for the delay. The application must be signed by both the Principal and the Article, and it is known as a Condonation of Delay.

Along with the application, a late submission fee must be paid as follows:

• Beyond 30 days- INR 500/-

• Delay of more than 60 days- Rs. 1000/- 

• Delay of more than 6 month- Rs. 2000/- 

• Delay of more than 12 month- Rs. 10,000/- 

Generally, the ICAI will accept the “Condonation of Delay” form without any inquiry. However, in some doubtful cases, ICAI might make some inquiries.

Below are the following documents, which may be requested by the ICAI in doubtful cases.

• Attendance sheet

• Certified copy of work diary of the articled assistant

• Stipend details, or bank details and statement

• Original Form 102 must be executed on a non-Judicial Stamp with proper signature.

CA Articleship Salary/Stipend

As per the expectation by the students, the CA articleship salary is not too high. There is a specific stipend amount set by the ICAI that every firm has to pay for the articles. Moreover, the stipend amount is different for all three years.

Check out the below table of monthly stipends payable to articled assistants who are already undergoing three years of articleship:

Monthly stipend payable to trainees who are undergoing two years of Articleship under the new scheme is as below:

CA Articleship Duration, working hours, and leaves

Leaves:

The duration of the CA Articleship is two years and in the two years of the CA Articleship period, they are allowed to take 12 leaves in each year of practical training. 

It is advisable for the article to follow the CA articleship leave rule otherwise, excessive leaves can cause complications and it may delay the completion of the articleship period.

For example:

No. of leaves taken during 1^st year – 13

No. of leaves taken during 2^nd year – 15

Excess leave to be served by the student – 4 ((13-12) + (15-12))

Working hours:

• As per the ICAI, the working hours of articleship are 35 hours per week, excluding the lunch break.

• The working hour shall not be generally before 9am or after 7pm

• The normal working hours for the article assistants shall not start after 11am or end before 5pm

CA Articleship Termination/Transfer of Articles

Below are the important instructions about the CA Articleship termination or transfer.

• Transfer/termination is permitted without any restriction during the first year of articleship.

• Transfer/termination after completion of first year of articleship is allowed only on satisfying any one or more of the conditions as stated below:

1. Medical grounds requiring discontinuance of articles for a minimum period of three months (must submit Medical certificate issued by a Government Hospital)

2. Transfer of Parents to another city.

3. Misconduct Involving moral turpitude

4. Other reasons:

1.  Grounds already permissible in the Chartered Accountants Regulation, 1988 

1. Industrial Training (Regulation 51)

2. Secondment of articles (Regulation 54)

3. Death of Principal (Regulation 51 (1) (c))

4. Ceasing of Practice by the Principal (Regulation 57 (1) (a))

5. Removal of name of the Principal from the Register of Member due to any reason (Regulation 57 (1) (b))

2. Marriage basis ( only if there is relocation to another city involving distance of 50 kms or more)

3.  Irregular payment or non-payment of stipend with reference to Regulation 67.

4. Articled assistants desire to serve a balanced period of training outside India.

5. Shifting by the Principal to another city involves a distance more than 50 kms.

Secondment of Articled Assistants

The procedure relating to secondment enables an articled trainee to gain practical experience in areas where the principal may not be in a position to provide the same in the office of another member in practice on the basis of a mutually agreed arrangement.

Permission to pursue other courses

During the working hour, the articled assistant is not allowed to attend college/other institutions for pursuing any course including graduation. 

• If an article assistant, make sure that the working hours do not clash with the graduation or any other courses then each article assistant shall be required to get specific permission from the ICAI for pursuing graduation or other courses as permitted under the Chartered Accountants Regulations by submitting Form no. 112 within one month from the date of joining the college or course to the ICAI.
• The form 112 includes college timings and so on. Shall be counter-signed by the concerned principal of the college with the seal and stamp of the college along with the telephone number and full address of the college.
• In a case if a student does not comply with the above requirement or violates any of the above guidelines, his/her articleship period shall not be recognized.

Things must know after Clearing CA Intermediate for CA Articleship:

Registration for CA Final and CA Articleship are different.

• If a student is unable to submit the CA Articleship registration form within 30 days, then they have to pay late fees, which are prescribed by ICAI.
• It is not mandatory to register for CA Final after clearing the CA Inter exam, instead it is important to register for CA Articleship to appear for CA Final.
• Research about the top CA firms in the industry.  

Top 10 Firms for CA Articleship

CA firms are the place where an article works under a practicing CA or Principal. In these firms, students learn the day-to-day activities and roles that a CA needs to fulfill. To find vacancies in these firms, you can visit their official websites, LinkedIn pages, and other relevant sources. Below are some of the top CA firms in India for articleship.

• Deloitte
• PWC
• Ernst and Young
• KPMG
• BDO International
• Grant Thornton International
• RSM International
• SS Kothari Mehta and Co.
• Lodha & Co
• Luthra & Luthra LLP

Conclusion

Before applying for the articleship, it is necessary to know about the rules of CA articleship. If you are the one who is still confused when to start articleship training, then get guidance from a mentor, they will guide you properly and help you to become a Chartered Accountant.

If you are in doubt about which CA test series is best for the CA Inter and CA Final levels, then enroll in the Bhagya Achievers test series, which provides a pass guarantee test batch that guarantees that you will definitely clear the exam if you follow the terms and conditions properly.

FAQs

Q1. What is an Articleship in CA?

Ans. Articleship is a mandatory practical training program that CA students undergo after completing the CA Inter level, where students gain real-world experience by working under the guidance of Practical Chartered Accountants.

Q2. Can I start my CA Articleship after passing the CA Foundation level?

Ans. No, you cannot start your CA Articleship training after passing the CA Foundation exam. You must clear both groups of the CA Inter exam to begin your articleship training. 

Q3. Which are the top CA firms for articleship?

Ans. For CA Articleship, some of the best CA Firms are Deloitte, PWC, Ernst and Young, KPMG, BDO International, and so on.

Q4. How many leaves can a student take during his/her articleship training?

Ans. Students can take 12 leaves each year during CA Articleship training.

Q5. How many hours can a CA work during an articleship?

Ans. CA Article can work 35 hours per week, excluding the lunch break.

Q6. Can an Articled Assistant engage in any other occupation?

Ans. No, Articled Assistant cannot engage in any other occupation without the permission of the Council. Article assistants need to take permission during the period of their service as an articled assistant to take any other course of study or training.

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