The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has always strived for academic and professional excellence for its key stakeholders i.e. Students and Members. With the aim of expanding the opportunities for Professionals in foreign jurisdictions, the Institute had engaged UK NARIC (The National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom) a renowned UK national agency responsible for providing information and expert opinion on qualifications and skills worldwide, to conduct an independent benchmarking study, evaluating the comparability of the ICAI Intermediate and Final level in the context of the UK and UAE education systems.
Pursuant to the same, UK NARIC has announced that ICAI qualification is comparable to:
| ICAI Award | Comparable RQF level and UK Qualification | RQF- QF Emirates
Level Comparability |
| ICAI Intermediate Course | RQF Level 6
(Bachelor’s Degree Standard) |
QF Emirates Level 7 |
| ICAI Final Course | RQF Level 7
(Master’s Degree Standard) |
QF Emirates Level 9 |
Speaking on the UK NARIC benchmarking, CA. Prafulla P. Chhajed, President ICAI, remarked “ The benchmarking of the CA qualification comparable to RQF Level 7, Master’s degree standard not only would strengthen the position of ICAI members, but would also help aspiring Chartered Accountants and even corporates gain a better understanding on the relevance and standing of the CA qualification. It would also provide opportunities for higher studies and enhanced professional opportunities for ICAI members/ semi qualified professionals in UK, Middle East & other foreign jurisdictions accepting NARIC evaluation.”
He further added that “ICAI members abroad are facing difficulty in settling abroad. This evaluation would help them in deciding the stage of a professional qualification for ICAI members because now they know that they not only possess a professional qualification of relevance, but it is also qualification that is comparable to RQF Level 7, Master’s degree standard.”
CA. Atul Kumar Gupta, Vice-President, ICAI remarked that “As India is increasingly focusing on facilitating export of accountancy services, the promotion of global mobility of accountancy services in digital world is one of the important Champion Sector initiative of the Government of India. This evaluation would increase the professional avenues for our members by facilitating recognition of Indian accountancy qualification.”
