About the January 2026 CA Exam Session
The January 2026 session marked the first major CA exam attempt of the year for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, covering all three levels: Foundation, Intermediate, and Final. ICAI released the official January 2026 datesheet on September 23, 2025, giving students several months to prepare before the exam window opened, with the application process for this session beginning through the ICAI Self Service Portal on November 3, 2025.
Application Timeline for January 2026
- Application window opened via the ICAI Self Service Portal (SSP) starting November 3, 2025.
- The official datesheet with subject-wise exam dates was published on September 23, 2025, well ahead of the application window.
- Students were required to complete registration and application submission within the announced deadlines to receive their admit cards for the January session.
- Admit cards for the January 2026 session across Foundation, Intermediate, and Final were released ahead of the exam dates through the ICAI portal.
Rescheduling of Specific Papers
A notable development during the January 2026 session was the rescheduling of the Intermediate Paper 5 (Auditing and Ethics) exam, originally scheduled for January 15, 2026. ICAI issued an official announcement postponing this specific paper, underscoring the importance of regularly checking ICAI’s official announcements page in the lead-up to any exam session, since individual paper schedules can shift even after the main datesheet has been published.
Avoiding Regional Festival Conflicts
ICAI deliberately avoided scheduling any exams on January 14, 2026, out of consideration for major regional festivals observed on that date, including Pongal, Makar Sankranti, and Magha Bihu. This reflects a broader pattern in ICAI’s scheduling approach, aimed at reducing absenteeism and easing pressure on students who observe these significant cultural and religious occasions across different parts of India.
Results and What Followed
ICAI declared results for the January 2026 session in phases: the CA Final result was announced on March 1, 2026, followed by the combined Intermediate and Foundation results on March 2 and March 3, 2026. These results were significant checkpoints for students deciding whether to appear again in the subsequent May 2026 attempt or move forward in their CA journey based on their January performance.
Preparing for the January Session
ICAI’s Board of Studies typically supports January session candidates through structured resources, including Live Virtual Classes, Mock Test Papers, and Success at CA. Exam preparatory sessions, which run in the weeks leading up to the exam. Students appearing for the January attempt after completing board exams or semester coursework often use these ICAI-provided resources to structure a focused, time-bound revision plan.
Final Thoughts
The ICAI CA January 2026 exam session followed its established structure across Foundation, Intermediate, and Final levels, with the notable exception of a rescheduled Auditing and Ethics paper and a deliberate scheduling gap around January 14 for regional festivals. Students preparing for future January sessions should treat the official datesheet as a starting reference point while staying alert to ICAI’s live announcements, since paper-specific changes can occur even close to the exam date.