Introduction
The competition and difficulty of passing the first stage of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) CA course is reflected in the CA Foundation pass percentage for prospective chartered accountants. This test is one of the most competitive entry-level professional exams in India, with lakhs of students taking it each year.
The total CA Foundation pass rate for the January 2026 attempt was 19.23%, with male applicants scoring 20.13% and female candidates scoring 18.26%. Students can assess exam difficulty and set reasonable expectations for their preparation by being aware of these trends.
This article examines the most recent CA Foundation pass rate, historical patterns, and the implications of these figures for prospective CAs.
CA Foundation Pass Percentage January 2026 – Result Analysis
Students can analyze exam difficulty and competition levels throughout multiple attempts by knowing the CA Foundation pass percentage. Although the Foundation exam is the first step in the CA journey, candidates should also be aware of trends in the CA Intermediate and CA Final pass percentages because each level of the course gets harder. Students can better understand how performance fluctuates across attempts and adjust their preparation by looking at the most recent ICAI result statistics.
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – January 2026 (Latest)
The official pass percentage figures and the CA Foundation January 2026 results were made public by the ICAI. The overall pass rate demonstrates the strict evaluation criteria that ICAI adheres to.
| Gender |
No. of Candidates Appeared |
No. of Candidates Passed |
% of Pass |
No. of Exam Centres |
| Male |
57,238 |
11,523 |
20.13% |
566 |
| Female |
52,456 |
9,576 |
18.26% |
| Total |
1,09,694 |
21,099 |
19.23% |
Out of 109,694 students that took the CA Foundation January 2026 exam, 21,099 applicants passed. The pass rate shows that prospective chartered accountants still find the CA Foundation exam to be competitive.
CA Foundation Pass Percentage Trend (2019–2026)
The number of candidates taking the test, the degree of exam difficulty, and the quality of preparation all affect the CA Foundation pass percentage. The CA Foundation success rate has typically varied between 15% and 30% between 2020 and 2026, indicating how difficult the ICAI test is.
Also Read This: CA intermediate pass percentage May 2026.
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – May 2025
| Attempt |
No. of Students Appeared |
No. of Students Passed |
Overall Pass Percentage |
| May 2025 |
82,662 |
12,474 |
15.09% |
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – Jan 2025
| Attempt |
No. of Students Appeared |
No. of Students Passed |
Overall Pass Percentage |
| Jan 2025 |
92,318 |
19,871 |
21.52% |
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – June 2024
| Attempt |
No. of Students Appeared |
No. of Students Passed |
Overall Pass Percentage |
| June 2024 |
91,900 |
13,749 |
14.96% |
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – September 2024
| Attempt |
No. of Students Appeared |
No. of Students Passed |
Overall Pass Percentage |
| September 2024 |
70,437 |
13,858 |
19.67% |
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – December 2023
| Attempt |
No. of Students Appeared |
No. of Students Passed |
Overall Pass Percentage |
| Dec 2023 |
1,37,153 |
41,132 |
29.99% |
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – June 2023
| Attempt |
No. of Students Appeared |
No. of Students Passed |
Overall Pass Percentage |
| June 2023 |
1,03,517 |
25,839 |
24.98% |
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – Dec 2022
| Attempt |
No. of Students Appeared |
No. of Students Passed |
Overall Pass Percentage |
| Dec 2022 |
1,13,329 |
33,166 |
29.25% |
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – Dec 2021
| Attempt |
No. of Students Appeared |
No. of Students Passed |
Overall Pass Percentage |
| Dec 2021 |
1,10,662 |
33,956 |
30.28% |
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – Dec 2020 (COVID)
| Attempt |
No. of Students Appeared |
No. of Students Passed |
Overall Pass Percentage |
| Dec 2020 |
78,014 |
27,345 |
35.03% |
CA Foundation Pass Percentage – Nov 2019
| Attempt |
No. of Students Appeared |
No. of Students Passed |
Overall Pass Percentage |
| Nov 2019 |
87,984 |
30,884 |
35.10% |
Why Is the Pass Rate Dropping?
1. ICAI’s Stricter Evaluation Standards
Recent years show ICAI has tightened checking criteria. Even minor errors or step‑loss in Accounts or
Law can
cost a pass mark.
2. Increased Volume of Aspirants
With CA becoming a buzzword in education circles, large numbers of students think “Foundation is just
Class
12 onward.” ICAI’s standards, however, haven’t changed-leading to a steeper filtration. The low pass
rate
reflects this gap.
3. Syllabus Pressure + Exam Psychology
Students often underestimate the mix of objective and subjective questions. Mock tests, launch of
analytical
MCQs, and case‑based Quils in Quant and Business Law trip many first‑timers.
4. Pandemic‑After Effects
From Dec 2020 and early 2021 onwards, online classes, stress, uncertain schedules and mental fatigue
impacted
preparation deeply.
Final Thought
The CA Foundation pass percentage is not meant to discourage-it is meant to filter. But beholding it
shouldn’t
shatter you. If you’ve cleared it, celebrate. If not, assess and bounce back.
Because at the end, Chartered Accountancy won’t remember your pass percentage. It will remember your
character.
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