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Guide to become CMA in India
Cost & Management Accountant is a reputed certification given by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI), India. People usually get confused between various terms like CMA, ICMAI, CWA, and ICWAI. The Institute of Cost & Works Accountants of India (ICWAI) has changed its identity into The Institute of Cost Management Accountants of India (ICMAI). ICWA course has been renamed as CMA course. Therefore, technically there is no difference between ICWAI and CMA, they are the same.
CMA is one of the toughest professional exams in India and usually has a pass percentage between 5% to 25%. CMA is gaining popularity among commerce students who are contemplating to be professionals in the accounting & finance domain due to its immense industry recognition.
This article will give a clear understanding of CMA course details, syllabus, career prospects and so on.
Three CMA Levels
- CMA Foundation
- CMA Intermediate
- CMA Final
CMA Eligibility
CMA Foundation eligibility criteria and details
To become a Cost Management Accountant, one should complete these three levels of CMA course.
- Students who have passed 10th and +2 are eligible for the CMA Foundation
- CMA exams are conducted by The Institute of Cost Accountants of India two times a year in the months of June and December.
- Once you have passed the CMA Foundation, you are eligible for CMA intermediate.
- If you have any graduate degree, then you are exempted from ICMAI Foundation exams. You can directly appear for CMA Intermediate.
CMA Intermediate eligibility criteria and details
- A candidate should have passed (10+2) and Foundation Course of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India
- Graduation in any discipline other than Fine Arts.
- Qualified in ICSI Foundation or ICAI Intermediate.
- It is mandatory to complete Communication and Soft Skill (CSS) Training for 3 days and Complete Computer Training for 100 hours before appearing the exam.
CMA Final eligibility criteria and details
Any candidate can apply for this course after qualifying the CMA Intermediate course.
CMA Exam Dates
Calendar of Important due dates for students
Please note the due date / last date scheduled for fulfilling the particular requirements for appearing in the June and December term examination respectively. The dates for June 2020 and Dec 2020 have been changed due to Covid-19 and new dates announced can be seen in our blog.
Particulars |
Appearing in June |
Appearing in December |
|---|---|---|
|
Admission to Foundation Course
|
31st January
|
31st July
|
|
Registration/ Enrolment to Intermediate/ Final Course
|
31st January
|
31st July
|
|
Revalidation of coaching for Intermediate/ Final course
|
15th March
|
15th September
|
|
Coaching Completion
|
31st March
|
31st September
|
|
Submission of Examination Form
|
10th April
|
10th October
|
|
Apply for Paper-wise Exemption
|
Before filing Examination form
|
Before filing Examination form
|
|
Training Completion/ Apply for Exemption
|
Before filing Examination form
|
Before filing Examination form
|
|
Apply for Registration De Novo
|
Before filing Examination form
|
Before filing Examination form
|
|
Declaration of Result
|
23rd August
|
21st February
|
Important Dates for CMA Exam
Instructions on CMA Exam Date
The students are advised to complete the requirements for appearing in the June/December Term examination in time without waiting for the scheduled last date/due date.
Students are advised to check for the update announcements on the website regularly.
Steps to Become a CMA
CMA Syllabus
The Institute of Cost Accountants of India has the current syllabus which was published in 2016. Below are the CMA Subjects as per 2016 Syllabus.
CMA Foundation Subjects
Number of Papers CMA Foundation are 4
Paper 1: Fundamentals of Economics and Management
Paper 2: Fundamentals of Accounting
Paper 3: Fundamentals of Laws and Ethics
Paper 4: Fundaments of Business Mathematics & Statistics
CMA Inter / CMA Intermediate Subjects
Number of Papers in CMA Inter is 8
CMA Inter Group 1
Paper 1: Financial Accounting
Paper 2: Laws & Ethics
Paper 3: Direct Taxation
Paper 4: Cost Accounting
CMA Inter Group 2
Paper 5: Operations Management & Strategic Management
Paper 6: Cost & Management Accounting and Financial Management
Paper 7: Indirect Taxation (Including Customs Act)
Paper 8: Company Accounts & Audit
CMA Final Subjects
Number of Papers CMA Final are 8
CMA Final Group 3
Paper 1: Corporate Laws & Compliance
Paper 2: Strategic Financial Management
Paper 3: Strategic Cost Management – Decision Making
Paper 4: Direct Tax Laws and International Taxation
CMA Final Group 4
Paper 5: Corporate Financial Reporting
Paper 6: Indirect Tax Laws & Practice (Including Customs Act)
Paper 7: Cost & Management Audit
Paper 8: Strategic Performance Management and Business Valuation
CMA Training
Training to be undertaken During CMA Inter Course (Mandatory)
- Complete Computer Training – 100 hours.
- Complete Communication and Soft Skills Training (CSS) – 3 days
Training to be undertaken During CMA Final Course (Mandatory)
- Complete Industry Oriented Training Programme (IOTP) – 7 Days
- Practical Training (Mandatory). Practical training has to be undergone by all students for a duration of 15 months. Students can undergo the practical training after registration into Intermediate course or before appearing for CMA final examination.
CMA Career Scope
CMA Certification is the ultimate opportunity to get better-paying jobs. According to the recent survey, CMA certification holders earn 30% more than their non-certified counterparts.
CMA students get opportunities across all areas of an organisation from planning, decision support and control function. They hold designations like CFO, CTO, Treasurer, VP (Finance), Controller, Finance Manager, Internal Auditor, Budget Analyst, Financial Analyst, Corporate or division planner, Senior Accountant, Cost Accountant, Staff Accountant, etc.
Top Fortune companies all over the world have CMAs in their key management. There is a lot of diverse opportunities for CMA Students in India and abroad. The salary of a CMA usually starts from ₹5,00,000 per annum for entry-level jobs and goes up to ₹30,00,000 to ₹50,00,000 per annum for senior-level CMA job profiles.
Therefore, it’s worth investing your early age time to gain the required skills and certification. Hence it is proved that investing in CMA certification provides an ample opportunity to enjoy a successful career.
CMA Role
- Improving cost-efficiency
- Resource and performance management
- Financial reporting and strategy
- Cost audit and assurance
- Direct and indirect taxation
- Internal audit and management audit
CMA Course Details – Registration Last Date | Foundation, Inter, Final | ICMAI 2021
The last dates for registration fall at least four months prior to the month in which examination is held. See below ICMAI or CMA Foundation registration last dates.
ICMAI or CMA Foundation Registration Last Dates
- For June Examination of the same calendar year = 31st Jan 2021
- For December Examination of the same year 31st July 2021
The June 2020 and Dec 2020 dates have been changed due to Covid-19 impact. Please refer to our blog for more details.
CMA Fee Details CMA Course Fee Details | Foundation Inter Final | ICMAI 2021
Read below ICMAI or CMA Foundation, Inter and Final Fee Details
CMA Institute Course Fee
CMA Foundation = ₹ 4,000
CMA Inter = ₹ 20,000
CMA Final = ₹ 17,000
CMA Inter fees can be paid either in full or as two instalments.
CMA Registration
Students who intend to pursue CMA can register in ICMAI website for CMA Foundation or Inter or Final. The following details are needed to proceed with the registration process.
- Contact Details including Address, Mobile Number and Email id.
- Attachment Details:
- Coloured Scanned copy of Passport size photo in JPG or JPEG format.
- Age proof Certification in PDF format with size not exceeding 300 kb.
- Scan copy of Signature in JPG or JPEG format.
- Educational Qualification certificates in PDF format size with size not exceeding 300 kb in each file.
CMA Study Material
Once the registration is successful and the registration number is generated, the study materials will be dispatched. The online study materials and free video lectures can be accessed in our app.
