CMA Foundation Passing Criteria and Marking Scheme
- Shankargouda S Malipatil
- Sep 13
- 4 min read

CMA Foundation Passing Criteria and Marking Scheme
Thinking about becoming a Cost Accountant or Management Accountant? You begin with the CMA Foundation course. This guide shows you who can take the CMA Foundation exam, how to sign up, how grades are calculated.
What is the CMA Course?
The Cost plus Management Accountant program, from The Institute of Cost Accountants of India, gives students skills in figuring out costs, managing money, making smart choices for a business CMA Foundation Passing Criteria and Marking Scheme.
The program has three parts: Foundation, Intermediate, then Final. Each part builds on what you learned, teaching you more complex ideas about money, taxes, running a business.
People finishing high school can start with the Foundation level. Most people finish the CMA course in three or four years, but it depends on how quickly they learn. People with CMA credentials find jobs in:
Keeping track of, then lowering expenses
Looking at money stuff, figuring out how to spend it, then seeing how things are going
Checking records inside a company, also inspecting them from the outside
Helping businesses with expert advice, offering guidance on important decisions
How businesses plan things, make choices
Eligibility for CMA Foundation
Students can take the CMA Foundation course if they have:
Completed twelfth grade studies with a school approved by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
High school students finishing their final year can sign up now, even before graduation. They can take the test after they receive their high school diploma.
How to Register for CMA Foundation
People can submit applications via the ICAI website. After you sign up, your registration lasts for three years. You can take the exam many times during those three years, as ICAI offers it regularly.
Documents Required
To register easily, applicants need to have these documents available:
Your grades from tenth grade
Your grade report from twelfth grade, if you’ve finished school
Valid government-issued photo ID
Recent passport-size photograph
Scanned digital signature
Active email ID and mobile number
CMA Foundation Exam Cycle
The CMA Foundation test happens two times each year, in June, then again in December. To do well in school, students need to study when assignments are given. This helps them learn the material, improving their grades.
CMA Course Structure
The CMA program has three stages: a beginning level, a middle level, a concluding level. Students need to pass three parts to get a CMA certificate. The courses move step by step, starting with simple ideas then building to harder concepts in business leadership, money choices.
CMA Foundation – Subjects & Syllabus
The first stage of learning covers basic accounting topics, also how organizations are run, with four courses:
Paper 1: Fundamentals of Economics & Management
Paper 2: Fundamentals of Accounting
Paper 3: Fundamentals of Laws & Ethics
Paper 4: Fundamentals of Business Mathematics & Statistics
Exam Pattern – Foundation
Each paper takes three hours to complete
Each subject provides one hundred points for evaluation
Passing Requirement: Minimum 40 marks in each paper
Question Type: Objective and short descriptive questions
Negative Marking: None
CMA Intermediate – Eligibility & Subjects
You need to pass the Foundation exam before you can take the CMA Intermediate exam.
You can go straight in sometimes, like when:
We need people who finished a business degree, earning a grade of 55% or better.
ICMAI accepts other qualifications you might have.
Subjects – Intermediate Level
The middle level has two sections, they include bookkeeping, taxes, business operations.
Group 1:
Cost Accounting
Laws & Ethics
Direct Taxation
Company Accounts & Audit
Group 2:
Financial Accounting
Operations & Strategic Management
Indirect Taxation
Cost & Management Accounting and Financial Management
Exam Pattern – Intermediate
Each paper takes three hours to complete
Each subject earns students a total of 100 points
You need to score at least 40% on each test. Your total score across all tests must be 50% or higher to pass
The material mixes ideas with real-world problems
CMA Final – Eligibility & Subjects
To register for the Final Level, students must:
Complete both parts of the Intermediate level.
Finish 15 months of hands-on training following ICMAI rules.
Subjects – Final Level
Group 3:
Corporate Laws & Compliance
Strategic Financial Management
Strategic Cost Management – Decision Making
Direct Tax Laws & International Taxation
Group 4:
Corporate Financial Reporting
Strategic Performance Management & Business Valuation
Strategic Cost Management – Advanced Strategies
Indirect Tax Laws & Practice
Exam Pattern – Final
Each subject takes three hours to complete
Each assignment receives a maximum score of 100
You need to score at least 40 percent on each test, also achieve a total score of 50 percent to pass
The material focuses on real situations, questions test how you use the information
Salary Scope for CMA Professionals in India
A CMA certification leads to great jobs in many types of businesses. Pay changes depending on how much experience someone has, what they are good at, how big the company is, the specific job they do. Here’s a look at common jobs, with typical yearly pay in India:
Job Title | Average Salary (INR per annum) |
Cost Controller | ₹6.94 LPA |
Finance Manager | ₹10.86 LPA |
Chief Financial Officer | ₹36.98 LPA |
Senior Financial Analyst | ₹8.17 LPA |
Certified Management Accountant | ₹5.00 LPA |
Cost Accountant | ₹7.05 LPA |
Finance Analyst | ₹5.40 LPA |
Internal Auditor | ₹5.85 LPA |
Financial Controller | ₹24.35 LPA |




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