CA Foundation Accounting Exam Analysis – ICAI Exam Insights

CA Foundation Accounting Exam Analysis – ICAI Exam Insights

Preparing for the CA Foundation Accounting exam requires more than just studying – it demands understanding what ICAI tests repeatedly and how questions are framed.

To plan effectively for the upcoming CA Foundation exam, it is necessary to analyze CA Foundation past papers, which provides ICAI key insights into high-weightage topics, difficulty level, and the ICAI Accounting exam pattern.

This CA Foundation Accounting Exam analysis helps students to understand what ICAI tested, which topics were repeated, and how they can maximize their scores, providing a clear roadmap for the CA Foundation January 2026 attempt.

Chapter-Wise Past Exam Weightage (Marks Distribution)

Chapters

May 18

Nov 18

May 19

Nov 19

Jan 21

July 21

Dec 21

June 22

Dec 22

June 23

Dec 23

Theoretical Framework

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

4

Accounting Process

4+10

10

10+5

10

5+10

5+5

5+5

5

10

10

5

Bank Reconciliation Statement

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

5

10

5

8

Inventories

4

4

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

Depreciation

4

4

5

5

4

5

5

10

4+5

5

6

Bills of Exchange

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

-

10

-

10

Final Accounts of Sole Proprietors

20

10+5

10+5

10+5

10+5

10+5

10+5

15

-

-

15

Not for Profit Organisation

-

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

15

12

Accounts from Incomplete Records

10

10

10

10

5+10

10

5+10

10

5

20

-

Partnership

10+5

10+5

15+5

10+5

15+5

10+5

10

15

5+5

5

15

Company Accounts

10+5

10+5

10+5

15+5

10+5

15+5

10

10+5

5+5

5+5

15

CA Foundation Accounting May 25 and Sep 25 Exams Question by Question Analysis 

 

Question

September 2025

May 2025

Analysis / Trend

1(b) Short Notes / Explanatory Concepts

Generally Accepted Valuation Principles

Objectives of Accounting Standards; Difference between Liability & Contingent Liability

Conceptual; less common but scoring

1(c) Books of Original Entry

Purchase Book – handling trade discount, packing charges, credit transactions

Sales Book – trade discount adjustments and multiple customers

Frequent pattern; focus on credit transactions

2 – Rectification & Bank Reconciliation / Depreciation

Machinery Account with Depreciation & Disposal – purchases, sales, provision, disposal

Rectification of Errors – Purchases recorded as Sales, Furniture in Purchases, Repairs capitalized, Wages, Personal expenses

Always included; high-weightage topic

3 – Final Accounts / NPO / Goodwill

Trading & P&L A/c and Balance Sheet for sole proprietor

Income & Expenditure A/c and Balance Sheet for NPO

High-weightage (10–15 marks); scoring for conceptually clear students

3(b) – Goodwill & Partnership Adjustments

Goodwill on retirement/admission; journal entry without opening goodwill account

Repeated concept; often merged with revaluation

4 – Partnership Revaluation

Full-length revaluation problem – Revaluation A/c, Partner’s Capital A/c, New Balance Sheet

Same pattern

High-weightage (12–15 marks); tests logical understanding

5 – Bills of Exchange / Manufacturing Account

Bill Renewal with Insolvency (40% recovery); alternate Manufacturing Account

Bills of Exchange – Mutual Accommodation; alternate Sales Book

Conceptually strong students perform well; recurring

6 – Journal Entries & Valuation Principles

Measurement & Valuation Principles

Journal Entries for Bonus/Right Issue

Short and easy if concepts are clear; recurring topics

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Section-Wise ICAI Accounting Paper Analysis (with Key Topics)

Question 1: Theoretical Concepts – True/False & Explanation

If we talk about the last two CA Foundation attempts, May 2025 and September 2025 then both started with True/False statements with reasoning – testing clarity on basic accounting concepts and principles.

September 2025:

Key topics included:

  • Materiality & Matching Concept
  • Accrual Basis vs Cash Basis
  • Profit-Sharing Ratio
  • Depreciation Concept
  • Issue of Shares at Discount

Tip: Revise conceptual definitions and examples carefully

Click here to download the CA Foundation Accounting chapterwise weightage PDF

May 2025:

Key topics covered:

  • Trade Discount vs Cash Discount
  • Money Measurement Concept
  • Accounting for NPO Trading Activities
  • LLP Partner Rules
  • Section 8 Companies (Surplus Distribution)

Tip: Prepare concept – reason based theory – not just definitions. Give more focus on why each principle is applied.

Download CA Foundation Accounting May 25 Question paper PDF now

Most Repeated Topics in CA Foundation Accounting (ICAI Trend)

CA Foundation Accounting Topics

Frequency

Accounting Concepts & Principles

Every Attempt

Depreciation

Every Attempt

Rectification of Errors

90%

Partnership Accounting (Admission/Retirement)

90%

Goodwill Valuation

80%

NPO Accounts

80%

Bills of Exchange

80%

Bank Reconciliation

75%

Final Accounts

75%

Books of Original Entry

60%

Smart Tip: These 10 topics alone cover around 70% of the CA Foundation Accounting syllabus weightage.

Want ICAI-level practice? Join the CA Foundation Test Series with ICAI-replicated question papers and real exam experience

Common Mistakes CA Foundation Students make in Accounting Exam

  • Mixing Cash and Trade discounts in books of original entry
  • Ignoring provision for depreciation and or calculating for full year
  • Writing wrong narrations or skipping them in journal entries
  • In revaluation questions, adjusting goodwill incorrectly
  • Not matching totals in Income & Expenditure Account or Balance sheet.

Tip: Provide step-wise solutions along with proper working notes.

Don’t repeat errors others make. Learn from experts, get personal mentorship, and prepare strategically for the CA Foundation Accounting exam

Tips for CA Foundation Accounting January 2026 Attempt

To maximize your score:

  • Revise all formats (Trading, P&L, Revaluation, BRS, Machinery)
  • Practice previous 3 attempts questions papers thoroughly
  • Attempt mock test papers under timed condition.

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Feeling unsure about your next CA Foundation attempt?

Click here to get customized study plan as per need.

Get a personalized study plan, topic wise mock tests, and performance tracking to make your CA Foundation January 2026 attempt successful.

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  • Exam-oriented questions similar to ICAI pattern
  • Expert evaluation with ICAI marking standards
  • Detailed feedback to improve every attempt
  • Strong focus on answer presentation and step marking
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FAQs

Ques: What was the overall difficulty level of the CA Foundation Accounting exam?

Ans: The CA Foundation Accounting paper was moderately tough, which gave more focus to conceptual understanding and practical application.

Ques: Which chapters were the most important as per the ICAI trend?

Ans: As per the ICAI trend, topics like Accounting Principles & concepts, Depreciation, Bills of Exchange, Final Accounts, Rectification of errors, and partnership adjustments are the high-weightage topics in every attempt.

Ques: Were there any tricky or unexpected questions in the exam?

Ans: Yes, in CA Foundation Accounting, some questions are tricky and require conceptual reasoning and adjustment-based understanding.

Ques: How important is theory in the CA Foundation Accounting Paper?

Ans: While the CA Inter Advanced Accounting paper carries more practical questions but theory is still important and carries 10-20 marks, so it is necessary to prepare theory questions.

Ques: How does paper analysis help to prepare for the next attempt?

Ans: By analysis paper, students can identify trends, focus areas, and question patterns allowing students to prepare smartly. This also highlights the topics that ICAI frequently tests and common mistakes to avoid.

Ques: How mentorship or test series can improve performance in CA Foundation Accounting exam?

Ans: With the help of regular guidance, a study plan, strategic tips, and mock evaluation by experts, students can improve their weak areas, build exam temperament, and boost confidence.

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