If you want to select a career in accounts and finance. Then you must have the knowledge of two programs (ACCA Vs CA) that have several advantages over the remaining other programs and degree in the field of Accounts and Finance.
These are
- CA (Chartered accountant)
- ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountant)
You may have question in your mind that which one is better and which one you should select as your career.
Here are the basic differences between ACCA and CA course that you must be aware of before making a final decision.
| Course Features | ACCA | CA |
| Full-Form | Association of Certified Chartered Accountant | Chartered Accountant |
| Professional Body | Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK) | Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (India) |
| Duration/ Tenure | Three years of study with Graduation. | Three years of study and 3.5 years of practical training. |
| Eligibility | Any students with 10+2 degree but to get the qualification graduation is required. | Any student with valid 10+2 degree |
| Course Levels | Three Levels: (i) Fundamental module (ii) Skill module (iii) Professional module | Three Levels: (i) CA Foundation (CPT) (ii) CA Intermediate (IPCC) (iii) CA Final (FC) |
| Papers | Total of 13 Papers 3 Papers (Fundamentals) 6 Papers (Skill) 4 Papers (Professional) with options | Total of 20 Papers 4 Papers (CA Foundation) 8 Papers (CA Intermediate) 8 Papers (CA Final) |
| Recognition | Globally Recognized (180 countries) | Recognized in India |
| Articleship | Not Required to get the degree | Required for 3.5 years |
| Course Fee | INR 2 Lakh to INR 3 Lakh | Less Than INR 1 Lakh |
| Flexibility | ACCA is much more flexible than the CA course as students are allowed to attempt a single paper in each attempt. | The CA program is not flexible, and students are required to attempt a minimum of one group at a time. |
| Signing Authority | An ACCA does not have the authority to sign the audit report in India. | A practicing Chartered Accountant (CA) has the authority to sign the audit report in India. |
| Is ACCA easier than CA? | Yes, ACCA is easier than CA | CA is more difficult to complete than ACCA |
ACCA Vs CA – Which is Tougher? (Is ACCA is easier than CA?)
CA is having 7 papers more than the ACCA. The passing percentage of both the group in one time is around 4 to 5 % in CA. Some time it is less than 2%, whereas the passing percentage is around 40 to 50% in ACCA. However, to get the degree of ACCA you must complete the graduation as well, whereas to complete the CA graduation is not required.
Attempting one group at a time will increase the passing percentage but it will take another six months to complete the CA provided you will not fail in any paper of the group. On the other hand, in ACCA, you can attempt one paper at a time or all the papers at the same time, and you can appear 4 time in a year in the examination. If you fail in any paper in the examination, then after three month you attempt that single paper only to pass the ACCA.
In case of CA examination if you will fail in any subject then you have to appear all the paper in that group. A group consists of 4 paper, and it is required complete all these paper again. But if student will fail in any paper of the ACCA then he/she has to reappear in that particular paper only. So, we can say that CA is far more tough to complete than ACCA, in other word ACCA is easer than CA.
ACCA Vs CA – Which is Better for a Career?
ACCA and CA both are having distinguished career, but they differed in some respect therefore they have different career prospect in India and Abroad. The CA course is having better career in India and the ACCA is having better career in abroad. The detail is as follows.
ACCA Vs CA – In India
CA is most respected course in Accounts and Finance in India. The CA with the membership with ICAI has right to become the statutory auditor of any legal entity. No other program or degree is having this privilege in India. They are also expert of the Indian Taxation, Accounting Standards and Audit Assurance, so the Indian companies prefer CAs to handle the overall accounts rather than ACCA. However multinational companies are preferring ACCA rather than CAs even in India due to his expertise in the internationally recognized knowledge and certification. This makes ACCA certificate holders easy to grab jobs at companies like JP, PwC, KPMG, etc.
CA Vs ACCA – In Abroad
ACCA is a globally recognized course and is accepted in 180 countries around the world. One who holds an ACCA certificate can work in companies abroad. An ACCA certificate holder has the knowledge of the CA course along with additional knowledge of UK Laws, FAAP and IFRS. In many countries they are allowed to work as statutory auditor directly or after passing the specific tax paper of that country. So, if you are interested in making a career abroad, ACCA would be a better option for you.
CA Vs ACCA – Which Has More Advantages?
Considering all aspects of these courses mentioned above, here we have drawn a conclusion for which course is more advantageous.
- Flexibility with Aritcleship: In this category ACCA is better than CA as you need not to complete the articleship to get the degree however after getting the degree your work experience in the relevant field will be considered as articleship to get the membership in ACCA. ACCAs can start their 3-year work experience before, during or after their exams. The start and end date are left up to the discretion of the students. Therefore, you can comfortable complete the course within 3 year with the graduation.
But in case of CA, you have to complete the articleship after completing the CA-Inter to appear in the final examination and therefore, it take approx. 5 years to complete the course.
- Exemptions
ICAI provides no exemptions to students pursuing CA.
ACCA provides many exemptions, such as:
Graduation: 4 exemptions of 13 ACCA exams.
IPCC passed + Graduate: 6 exemptions of 13 ACCA exams.
If you have CA qualification then you can get up to 9 paper exemption, apart from that a few universities in India are entitled to give 9 paper exemption with their B.Com degree for example B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology is offering B.Com (Hons) with 9 paper exemption and B.Com (Accounts and Finance) with 6 paper exemptions.
- Initial Salary: Since the CA program focuses on the Indian tax and financial system, companies here usually look for a CA more than for an ACCA. So, the initial salary offered to Chartered Accountants is generally higher than that of ACCA. The average initial salary of a CA in India is up to INR 8 LPA or above and for an ACCA, it is up to INR 5.7 LPA. In abroad the ACCA is having better position than CA.
- Duration: You can compete the ACCA and become certified professional with your graduation degree i.e., within three years only. However, to complete the CA minimum time required is around 5 years provided you have not failed in any attempt.
- Recognition: As we have mentioned earlier, ACCA is a globally recognized program. Which means that candidates who have completed the course are eligible to apply in 180 different countries. CA, on the other hand, has a monopoly in India as it specializes in Indian systems. So, depending on where you want to work, you can choose one of these two courses.
- Course Expenses: ACCA course is more expensive than CA as it is UK based course and globally recognized. The expense on CA would be around 1 lakh whereas ACCA costs will be around 2.5 lack. However, if you will take the proper coaching to complete the CA then the cost to complete the CA will be equal or even more than ACCA.
- Level of Difficulty: The data shows that CA is far more difficult than the ACCA course. As I said earlier that the passing percentage of CA is around 5 to 10% whereas the passing percentage of the ACCA is around 40 to 50%
Conclusion
When considering ACCA vs CA, it is essential to weigh the factors such as salary, scope, syllabus, field of work, difficulty level, fees, and duration. Both ACCA and CA offer excellent career prospects and opportunities for growth in the field of accounting and finance. The choice between the two courses depends on your career goals, preferences, and aspirations. If you are looking for a global perspective and international career opportunities, ACCA may be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you want to specialize in Indian tax laws and work in the Indian market, CA can provide a strong foundation. Ultimately, it is important to choose a course that aligns with your interests, strengths, and long-term career objectives.
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