Both the ICAEW ACA and ICAI CA (India) are considered highly challenging, top-tier accounting qualifications, with ACA (ICAEW) generally perceived as more technical and rigorous in its training, while the CA (India) course is known for its incredibly low pass rates and vast syllabus. ACA often requires structured, employer-supported, 450-day training contracts, making it more intensive, whereas CA requires intense self-study over a longer duration (6–8 years).
The right qualification depends on your career ambitions: Choose ACCA if you want a globally recognised accounting qualification with career flexibility across industries and countries. Choose ACA if you're UK-based and aiming for senior roles in audit, accountancy, or corporate leadership.
Which career is harder to qualify for, accountant or actuary? Actuary exams are tougher and take longer; many take 5 to 10 years, while accounting tests clear faster.
They are challenging exams, hence why they are so respected! But as you will see, it's not necessarily the content, it's the context of studying for these exams which is the most difficult aspect to overcome.
Difficulty Level: CA is considered one of the toughest professional courses due to its low pass rates and challenging exams.
Initial Salary Advantage:
CA professionals typically earn ₹6-8 lakhs annually at entry level, slightly ahead of ACCA holders at ₹5-7 lakhs. This reflects intensive articleship training and immediate applicability in India's regulatory environment.
All Big 4 accountancy firms – Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG – are active recruiters of ACCA-affiliated accountants. Choice often depends on your interest area: audit, consulting, tax, or advisory.
In the examination series, Audit and Assurance saw a pass rate of 79.7%, while Business Strategy and Technology had an 83.9% success rate. Tax Compliance stood out with an 84.8% pass rate. Conversely, Financial Accounting and Reporting (UK GAAP) achieved 42.9%.
The benefits. ACA training creates leaders, creators and big thinkers who can look beyond the numbers and are equipped with the technical knowledge and commercial skills needed to work across all aspects of management, finance, and accounting.
Cost-Sharing and Premiums
The ACA requires people to buy a richer benefit package. It is possible to argue that this policy is good for society, but there is no free lunch, and this does eliminate choices that were acceptable to many consumers.
The ACA is a structured pathway to becoming an ICAEW Chartered Accountant.
What is the hardest bar exam to pass? California has a notoriously hard bar exam, with only 45% of first-time takers passing the Feb 2024 bar exam, and 24% of repeat takers passing the July 2023 exam. However, there are other states with lower pass rates in July 2023, including Maine, Wyoming, and Maryland.
List of Easiest Exams in the World
Here's a list of contries with the toughest education system. 1-China 2-Russia 3-Korea 4-India 5-Singapore 6-Hongkong 8-Italy 9-Poland 10-Czech Do you think this list is incomplete?
Kim Kardashian failed the California "baby bar" (First-Year Law Students' Exam) three times before passing it in December 2021, and has failed the main California Bar Exam once as of November 2025, vowing to retake it again in 2026. Her failures, particularly with the baby bar, were public, but she persevered to pass that first hurdle on her fourth attempt.
How many exam attempts am I allowed? ICAEW regulations allow four attempts at each Certificate Level and Professional Level exam (with the exception of the Business Planning and Financial Accounting and Reporting assessments), and an unlimited number of attempts at the Advanced Level exams.
Individuals who describe themselves as Chartered Certified Accountants must be members of ACCA and if they carry out public practice engagements, must comply with additional regulations such as holding a practising certificate, carrying liability insurance and submitting to inspections.
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) plans to discontinue remote examinations from March 2026, reported the Financial Times. The move will mean most candidates must return to in-person exam centres, as the organisation responds to increasing instances of exam misconduct.