CA industrial training is an optional way to complete part of the two-year practical-training period inside an eligible industry organisation. ICAI's New Scheme announcement confirms two years of practical training, while its Articleship Forms FAQ states that industrial training under the New Scheme is permitted during the second year and runs for 9 to 12 months.
Eligibility and duration
ICAI's FAQ states that the student must have passed both groups of Intermediate before applying for industrial training. Industrial training is therefore best viewed as the last 9 to 12 months of the two-year training journey, not an extra period after articleship.
Where can it be done?
Industrial training must be under an ICAI member and an approved organisation. ICAI's 2026 empanelment announcement says eligible organisations must satisfy specified financial criteria and have at least two full-time Chartered Accountants, each an ICAI member continuously for at least three years. It also states that industrial trainees receive a mutually agreed stipend subject to a minimum of ₹15,000 per month.
Articleship versus industrial training
A CA firm can provide broad professional-services exposure across audit, tax, GST, accounting, assurance and multiple clients. Industrial training provides an in-house perspective on finance, reporting, controls and commercial processes. Neither is automatically superior: students targeting practice, audit or tax may prefer deeper firm exposure, while those targeting corporate finance, FP&A, treasury or controllership may value industry experience.
What to evaluate before accepting an offer
- Role content: understand actual monthly work, not only the department name.
- Supervision: confirm the ICAI-compliant training arrangement and who reviews your work.
- Systems exposure: ERP, reporting, consolidation and budgeting experience can be valuable.
- Decision exposure: prefer analytical work over purely repetitive processing.
- Exam compatibility: clarify working patterns and leave expectations.
Transfer and forms
ICAI's Articleship FAQ identifies joining industrial training as a permitted ground for termination from existing articleship. It refers to Form 109 and the industrial-training offer letter, which should state commencement and end dates. The FAQ identifies Form 104 for industrial-training registration and Form 105 for completion or permitted termination. Form 105 should be submitted in SSP within 30 days from completion; delayed filing can require condonation and fee.
Practical example
A student who completes the first year in statutory audit and wants a post-qualification FP&A role may benefit from a 12-month industrial-training role involving budgeting and management reporting. But moving only for a larger brand or stipend into repetitive invoice processing may provide less useful learning than remaining in a strong CA-firm role.
Decision framework
- Start with your likely first job after qualification.
- Compare actual tasks in the current and proposed roles.
- Check ICAI eligibility before resigning.
- Assess learning, not only stipend or brand.
- Plan the SSP transition so the training record remains complete.
Common mistakes
- Assuming industrial training is compulsory.
- Joining without confirming ICAI eligibility or empanelment.
- Choosing from company name without understanding the work.
- Ignoring registration and termination forms.
- Assuming higher stipend always means better exposure.
Practical takeaway
Industrial training is a deliberate career-exposure choice within CA practical training. Under the New Scheme it can run for 9 to 12 months during the second year. Choose it when the in-house role materially improves exposure for your intended career; remain with firm-based articleship when deeper audit, tax, assurance or practice experience better supports your goal.
