Introduction
Choosing between the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) certification and the Chartered Accountancy (CA) qualification can be a challenging task for many individuals. However, the choice between ACCA and CA can be simplified.
Depending upon your career aspirations and after understanding comprehensive details about acca vs ca you can choose the career path that captures your interests. The key difference between ACCA and CA is that ACCA paves a path to international job opportunities whereas CA paves the path to local opportunities by providing comprehensive details about local finance regulations.
In this article we have provided comprehensive details about acca vs ca and which of the two qualifications is better and in line with your career aspirations. So that the choice between ACCA and CA becomes more straightforward for you.
ACCA Vs CA: Which Is Better For You?
Choosing between ACCA and CA depends entirely on your career aspirations and goals. If your career objectives are to work in taxation, audit, or compliance CA might be a better option for you. However, CA only opens the path to local job opportunities in India.
ACCA on the other hand is a certification that is recognised globally in more than 180 countries and trains you to be a well-rounded finance professional. If your career choice is to work abroad then ACCA will prove to be a better option for you.
What Is ACCA?
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants or ACCA focuses mainly on accounting and finance and is recognized globally in more than 180 countries. ACCA holds a prominent position in the UK and European countries as ACCA was established as an accounting body in London in the year 1904.
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants or ACCA has over 2,00,000 members and around 6,00,000 students spread across the globe in more than 180 countries. ACCA is a preferred certification if you want global job opportunities, as it brings over 7,400 approved employers every year and around 80 accountancy partnerships.
After the completion of your ACCA certification, you can get hired by various global companies easily.
What Is CA?
ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) is the governing body for CA qualification. It was established in 1949. CA holds a prominent position and significance in Indian society. CA focuses more on local laws and regulations.
Numerous job opportunities are being provided to Chartered Accountants in India. However, CA provides more local job opportunities when compared with ACCA which provides global job opportunities.
Eligibility Criteria For ACCA And CA
Eligibility Criteria, acca vs ca:
Eligibility criteria for ACCA-
- The candidate must have completed Senior Secondary Level Education in Mathematics or should have completed an undergraduate in Commerce.
- Work Experience is required for ACCA certification.
Eligibility criteria for CA-
- The candidate must have passed their Class 10th Examinations with a minimum of 60 percent marks in Mathematics and 65 percent marks in English.
- The candidate should have passed their Class 12th Examinations with a minimum of 65 percent in English and Accounts.
- No work experience is required for CA.
Syllabus For CA And ACCA
Both CA and ACCA qualifications contain 3 levels. In CA these are called Foundation, Intermediate, and Final levels. However, in ACCA these are called Applied Knowledge, Applied Skills, and Professional Levels.
Subjects and papers at various levels in CA-
- Foundation ( 4 Papers )-
- Accounting (Paper 1)
- Business Laws (Paper 2)
- Quantitative Aptitude (Paper 3)
- Business Economics (Paper 4)
- Intermediate (6 Papers)-
Group 1-
- Advanced Accounting (Paper 1)
- Corporate and Other Laws (Paper 2)
- Taxation (Paper 3)
Group 2-
- Cost and Management Accounting (Paper 4)
- Auditing and Ethics (Paper 5)
- Financial Management (Paper 6A)
- Strategic Management (Paper 6B)
- Final (6 Papers)-
Group 1-
- Financial Reporting (Paper 1)
- Advanced Financial Management (Paper 2)
- Advanced Auditing, Assurance, and Professional Ethics (Paper 3)
Group 2-
- Direct Laws and International Taxation (Paper 4)
- Indirect Tax Laws (Paper 5)
- Integrated Business Solutions (Paper 6)
Subjects and Papers at various levels in ACCA-
- Applied Knowledge Level (3 Papers)-
- Business and Technology (BT)
- Financial Accounting (FA)
- Management Accounting (MA)
- Applied Skills Level (6 Papers)-
- Corporate and Business Law (BL)
- Financial Management (FM)
- Financial Reporting (FR)
- Performance Management (PM)
- Taxation (TX)
- Audit and Assurance (AA)
- Professional Level (4 Papers)-
2 Mandatory Subjects-
- Strategic Business Leader (SBL)
- Strategic Business Reporting (SBR)
2 out of 4 elective subjects-
- Advanced Financial Management (AFM)
- Advanced Performance Management (APM)
- Advanced Taxation (ATX)
- Advanced Audit and Assurance (AAA)
Some of the subjects like taxation overlap with each other in both CA and ACCA, however, CA focuses on Indian Tax Laws, and ACCA focuses on countries like UK, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.
Make your choice wisely
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Exam Structure Of CA Vs ACCA
The exam structures of CA and ACCA are quite different from one another.
Exam Structure for CA-
- CA Foundation- Papers 1 and 2 in CA Foundation exams are subjective while Papers 3 and 4 are objective. Negative marking is done in the objective papers.
- CA Intermediate- CA Intermediate contains a combination of both subjective and objective questions, however, there is no negative marking involved in any of the examinations.
- CA Final- Similar to CA Intermediate as there are both subjective and objective questions and no negative marking is done.
Exam Structure for ACCA-
- Applied Knowledge Level- All the questions in Applied Knowledge Level Exams are objective.
- Applied Skills Level- In this level, one subject contains all the objective questions, however, in the other five subjects there are 60 percent objective and 40 percent subjective questions.
- Professional Level- All the examinations at the professional level are 100 percent subjective.
There is no negative marking in any of the examinations for ACCA qualification.
The exams for CA are conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India twice every year in May-June and November-December.
The exams for Applied Knowledge Level in ACCA are on-demand and can be taken up at any time of the year. However, the Applied Skill Level and Professional Level exams are conducted every March, June, September, and December.
The passing marks for acca vs ca-
- Passing marks for ACCA- A minimum of 50 percent marks are required in each subject to pass the ACCA exams at any level.
- Passing marks for CA- To clear CA foundation exams a candidate needs to score at least 40 marks in every paper and a total of 200 out of 400 marks.
For clearing CA Intermediate and CA Final levels the candidate needs to score 40 percent marks in each paper and a total of 50 percent marks in each group.
Navigating through all these complexities may appear challenging for the newcomers thinking about doing ACCA qualification. However, we can solve all your doubts and confusions. At Ikka Classes, our primary goal is to simplify the ACCA course for you, ensuring a smooth and accessible learning experience. With proper mentorship and training in our classes, attaining your ACCA certification would become effortless. And you will be able to seamlessly pursue your career aspirations without encountering any hurdles.
ACCA Vs CA Which Is Easy
Out of acca vs ca which is easy is acca as the pass rates at each level in ca are much lower when compared to acca. Pass rates for both acca vs ca are listed below-
- Pass Rates for CA-
- CA Foundation- The pass rate for the CA foundation level is about 20-25%.
- CA Intermediate- The pass rate for Group 1 in CA Intermediate exams is about 20-22% and for Group 2 it is around 21-25%. The pass rate for both groups is about 11-13%.
- CA Final- The pass rate for Group 1 in CA Final exams is about 10-12% and for Group 2 it is around 25-30%. The pass rate for both groups is about 8-10%.
- Pass Rates for ACCA-
- Applied Knowledge Level- The pass rate for Applied Knowledge Level in ACCA exams is 60-80%.
- Applied Skills Level- The pass rate for Applied Skills Level in ACCA exams is 40-80%.
- Professional Level- The pass rate for Professional Level in ACCA exams is 35-50%.
Analyzing the pass rates of both ACCA and CA exams one can conclude that CA qualification is much more difficult than the ACCA certification.
Career Opportunities For ACCA And CA
Both ACCA and CA provide numerous opportunities for their qualified individuals. However, ACCA qualified candidates are hired more by MNCs such as KPMG, PWC, Deloitte, EY, etc. where they work in Internal Audit, Risk Advisory, Mergers and Acquisitions,etc.
CA qualified individuals are hired more in Indian companies and work in Audit and Assurance, Taxation, Accountancy, etc.
CA Vs ACCA Salary: Who Earns More
The comparison between acca vs ca salary is hard to make. Since the salary of an individual depends on their skill level, prior experience, hiring, etc. However, the average package after completing ACCA and CA qualifications is quite similar.
The average salary of a CA fresher is about INR 4 to 8 Lakhs per Annum. The average salary of an ACCA-qualified fresher is about INR 4 to 7 Lakhs per Annum which are quite similar to each other. However, ACCA opens paths for various global job opportunities that are not provided by the CA qualification.
Is ACCA More Costly Than CA?
Yes, ACCA certification in India is slightly costlier than CA qualification. The average cost to complete CA qualification in India is about INR 2 to 2.5 Lakhs and it costs about INR 4 to 4.5 Lakhs to complete the ACCA certification along with the examination fees, training fees etc.
What Is The Couse Duration Of ACCA And CA
It takes a minimum of 5 years for a candidate to complete their CA qualification and a candidate can complete their ACCA qualification in 3-5 years if they complete all papers without any exemptions.
There are generally no exemptions in CA qualification and a candidate needs to clear each paper at every level to complete their CA. However, a student can avail up to 9 exemptions out of 13 papers to complete the ACCA certification. These exemptions are based on the educational background of the candidate.
Is ACCA More Globally Accepted Than CA?
Yes, ACCA is a certification that holds global recognition in more than 180 countries. The ACCA covers internationally accepted financial rules and regulations, however, in CA the focus is more on the financial rules and regulations of India.
The Association of Certified Chartered Accountants is the governing body that provides the ACCA certification and it is situated in London. So ACCA has more recognition in European countries as well as the other nations. So, ACCA qualification opens the path to numerous job opportunities all over the world.
Can You Do CA And ACCA Together?
Yes, CA and ACCA can be done simultaneously. If you have completed CA Foundation and CA Intermediate you will only have to appear in 9 papers of ACCA qualification and will be exempted from the rest. And if you have completed the entire CA qualification you only have to clear 4 ACCA papers and are exempted from the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions About ACCA Vs CA: What Is Your Best Choice?
Choosing between ACCA and CA depends entirely on your career aspirations and goals. If your career objectives are to work in taxation, audit, or compliance CA might be a better option for you. However, CA provides most of the job opportunities only in India. If you want to find a job abroad you are probably better off choosing ACCA qualification as it is globally recognised.
The salaries of CA qualified and ACCA qualified individuals are quite similar to each other. The average salary of a CA fresher is about INR 4 to 8 Lakhs per Annum. The average salary of an ACCA-qualified fresher is about INR 4 to 7 Lakhs per Annum.
Yes, ACCA certification is slightly costlier when compared to CA qualification. As it takes INR 4-4.5 Lakhs to complete ACCA certification, however, the cost for CA qualification is about INR 2-2.5 Lakhs in India.