Expert verified If you’ve cleared your CA Intermediate, and are looking to apply for a CA internship in a city like Chennai, you must understand the step by step process which involves – fulfilling ICAI’s registration requirements, finding the right CA firm in Chennai, and clearing the firm’s selection process.
This blog breaks down exactly how to apply for CA articleship in Chennai. We cover everything from eligibility and ICAI registration to shortlisting firms and cracking the interview.
Understanding the ICAI Articleship Registration Process
Under ICAI regulations, every CA student must complete a mandatory period of practical training under a practising Chartered Accountant before they can appear in CA Final.
Under the new scheme (effective July 2023, first exams May 2024)), that training period is 2 years. Under the old scheme, it was 3 years.
The registration process runs through ICAI’s Self Service Portal (SSP). Physical submissions to the Regional Office are no longer required. The entire process, from deed to approval, is online.
Here’s the overall flow at a glance:
| Step | Action | Deadline |
| 1 | Clear CA Inter (both groups) + complete ICITSS | Before commencement |
| 2 | Finalise your principal / CA firm | Before start date |
| 3 | Execute Form 102 (Deed) on stamp paper | On or before commencement |
| 4 | Submit Form 103 on SSP portal | Within 30 days of commencement |
| 5 | Principal approves on SSP | Within same window |
| 6 | Upload signed scanned copies of Form 102 & 103 | After principal approval |
| 7 | Regional Office approval | Processed online |
One thing many students underestimate is the 30-day deadline for Form 103. Training that isn’t formally registered with ICAI is not counted. Don’t push this.
It’s also worth understanding what the registration process actually locks in. Once Form 103 is approved by the Regional Office, your commencement date is officially recorded.
Every subsequent calculation such as leave entitlement, completion eligibility, CA Final appearance, flows from that date. An error in your commencement date, or a delay in registration, creates downstream complications that are difficult to fix after the fact.
Treat registration as a legal filing, not an administrative formality. If your principal is unavailable to approve promptly on the SSP portal, resolve that before your start date, not after.
Eligibility — CA Inter / Both Groups Passed?
Under the new scheme, the eligibility criteria are clear and non-negotiable:
- You must have passed both groups of the CA Intermediate examination
- You must have completed ICITSS: the 4-week Integrated Course in Information Technology and Soft Skills, before your articleship begins
There is no provision under the new scheme to start articleship after clearing just one group. That option existed in the old scheme.
If you’re on the old scheme and had cleared one group before November 2023, you may be subject to transitional provisions. Make sure to check directly with your ICAI regional office or the SSP portal for your applicable rules.
Direct Entry Students
The same rule applies. Both groups of CA Intermediate must be cleared, along with ICITSS completion, before the articleship can commence.
A few things worth knowing:
- ICITSS must be completed before practical training starts, not during
- Advanced ICITSS (AICITSS) must be completed after practical training but before appearing for CA Final
- Under the new scheme, students don’t appear for any exam during their 2-year articleship period — which also means leave entitlement is reduced to 12 days per year (24 total across 2 years)
If you’re still waiting for your CA Inter results, you can start shortlisting the best CA firms for articleship and preparing your resume now, but don’t approach principals for a formal deed until results are out and both groups are confirmed passed.
One more thing that trips up students: ICITSS consists of two components: the IT training (Information Technology) and the Orientation Programme.
Both must be completed. Just finishing one doesn’t satisfy the requirement.
ICAI conducts these programmes at branches across Chennai. Check the ICAI Chennai branch website for batch schedules. If you’re planning your articleship start date, factor in ICITSS completion time so there’s no gap. Firms can and do rescind offers when students aren’t ICITSS-ready to start on the agreed date.
Documents Required for Articleship Registration
Having your paperwork in order reflects seriousness and saves time once you get selected. Get these ready.
Documents you need at the time of registration (Form 103 submission)
- Mark sheet of CA Intermediate: both groups, attested by your Principal
- Class 12 mark sheet, used as Date of Birth proof, attested by your Principal
- ICITSS completion certificate (IT and Orientation Programme both)
- Passport-size photographs
- ICAI student registration letter / registration number
- Stamp paper for Form 102: the deed must be dated within 30 days of commencement
- Form 112 (if you’re pursuing another academic course alongside articleship — must be filed within 30 days of joining that course)
What Gets Submitted where:
- Form 102 (deed) is retained by your Principal
- Form 103 is submitted online via the SSP portal. After principal approval, you upload the signed scanned copy on the portal.
No documents need to be physically sent to the Regional Office under the new scheme.
Make sure all attestations are done by your principal, not by a notary or any other authority. Incorrectly attested documents are one of the most common reasons for delays.
In some cases, especially where ICAI has reason to verify the authenticity of a registration, the Regional Office may request additional documentation.
These can include your
- articleship attendance sheet
- a certified copy of your work diary
- bank account proof of stipend receipt.
You won’t always be asked for these, but maintain them from day one just to be on the safe side.
Your principal should ideally be signing your work diary regularly throughout the training period, not scrambling to fill it in weeks before completion.
Scans matter too. When uploading documents on the SSP portal, use clear, legible PDFs with all signatures visible. Blurry uploads get rejected or flagged, which delays RO approval.
Scan every document at 300 DPI minimum before your commencement date so you’re not rushed when the upload window opens.
How to Register on the ICAI eSSB Portal
The SSP portal is the single window for all articleship-related filings. Here’s how to navigate it:
Step 1: Log in
Go to eservices.icai.org. Your User ID and password were sent to your registered email and mobile at the time of CA Intermediate registration. If you’ve lost them, use the “Forgot Password” option on the portal.
Step 2: Update your profile
Before filling any form, ensure your profile is current — educational qualifications, contact details, and ICITSS completion records must reflect correctly. Errors here will carry over into your forms.
Step 3: Navigate to Articleship
From the dashboard, click on the “Articleship Menu” button, then go to the “Articleship” tab.
Step 4: Fill the Articleship Deed (Form 102 section)
Select the commencement date of your articleship. Enter the membership number of the CA under whom you’ll train and click “Get Details.” Select the firm name. Enter the date the deed will be executed. Submit and download the deed PDF.
Step 5: Execute the deed on stamp paper
Print the deed, get it executed on a stamp paper. The stamp paper date must fall within 30 days of your articleship commencement. Get it signed by both you and your principal.
Step 6: Fill Form 103
Log back in, go to the submitted applications tab, and click on the Articleship Deed Form. Click “Click here” to edit and fill the registration form (Form 103). Verify your personal and qualification details. Answer whether you’re engaged in any other business or course. If yes, file Form 112 first.
Step 7: Principal approval
Your principal logs into the SSP portal, verifies the details, and approves the form.
Step 8: Upload signed documents
After principal approval, log in again, navigate to the submitted application, go through all screens clicking “Next,” and upload the scanned, signed PDFs of both Form 102 and Form 103 on the final screen.
Step 9: Fee payment and Regional Office approval
Pay any applicable fee if prompted. Once the Regional Office approves, your articleship registration is confirmed.
| NOTE: |
| If your principal’s membership isn’t active or their practice certificate has lapsed, the system may error out or allow a registration that later gets rejected at the RO stage. Before entering their details, verify their ICAI membership status on the ICAI member directory (icai.org). |
| Once the RO approves your registration, Forms 102 and 103 are locked and cannot be edited on the SSP portal. Any corrections after that require a formal request to the Regional Office and can be time-consuming. So double-check all details before your principal approves. |
Form 102 & 103 — What to Fill and When
Let’s understand the two most important forms of your articleship, so you can prevent any errors:
Form 102: Articleship Deed
This is a formal deed of agreement between you and your principal.
It outlines the terms of your training: start date, duration, stipend, and obligations on both sides.
Key points:
- Must be executed on stamp paper (franking is also accepted in some states)
- The stamp paper date must be within 30 days of your commencement date, even if you submit Form 103 on time, this requirement doesn’t go away
- After execution, Form 102 is retained by your principal, it is not uploaded to ICAI separately, but a scanned copy is uploaded alongside Form 103 on the SSP portal
- The deed must cover the full training period, partial deeds are not accepted
Form 103: Statement of Particulars
This is your official registration form with ICAI.
It includes your personal details, educational qualifications, previous articleship history (if any), your principal’s details, and declarations.
Key rules:
- Must be submitted within 30 days of commencement of articleship
- Submitted entirely online through the SSP portal
- No physical copy needs to be sent to the Regional Office
Late Submission Penalties for Form 103:
| Delay | Condonation Fee |
| Up to 30 days (beyond the initial 30) | ₹500 |
| 31–60 days | ₹1,000 |
| More than 6 months | ₹2,000 |
| More than 12 months | ₹10,000 |
Don’t treat the 30-day window loosely. It’s not the penalty you should be concerned about; training that’s registered late creates complications in leave calculations and completion timelines.
A common confusion: the deed date on Form 102 is the date the stamp paper is purchased and signed, not your articleship start date. They can match, or the stamp paper can be dated a few days earlier, but not more than 30 days after commencement.
In Tamil Nadu, stamp papers are available through authorised vendors near sub-registrar offices, and your firm’s admin team can guide you. If franking availability is uncertain, use regular stamp paper, it’s simpler and universally accepted by the Southern Regional Office.
How to Shortlist and Contact CA Firms in Chennai
For CA articleship students, Chennai offers many choices, from Big 4 and national firms to mid-sized and boutique consulting companies.
Choose based on the exposure you want, not just ease of entry:
Where to find firms:
- ICAI’s Firm Directory: available on the ICAI website and the SSP portal. You can filter by city and check registered firms with articleship vacancies.
- ICAI’s eSSB portal: specifically designed to match students with firms. Firms post vacancies and students can apply directly.
- Word of mouth: seniors who’ve completed articleship in Chennai are often your most reliable source of on-ground intelligence about firm culture, workload, and stipend.
- Direct outreach: email or walk into firms you’ve researched. Many mid-sized firms in Chennai don’t advertise vacancies actively.
What to evaluate when shortlisting:
- Exposure breadth: does the firm handle multiple domains (tax, audit, advisory) or is it limited to one?
- Client profile: firms servicing manufacturing, IT, retail, and NBFC clients give you more rounded exposure than those with a narrow client base
- Stipend: ICAI has increased minimum stipend significantly under the new scheme. Confirm the amount before joining
- Work-life balance: articleship is demanding, but firms that are chronically understaffed will burn you out before finals
- Department rotation: some firms allow you to rotate across departments during your 2-year tenure, which broadens your practical understanding
When shortlisting, research what makes a firm the best CA firm for articleship in Chennai — beyond just stipend.
How to Approach Firms:
Send a concise email with your resume.
Keep it under three paragraphs that cover – who you are, what you’ve cleared, and why you want to join that specific firm. Generic emails to 50 firms at once are obvious and rarely convert.
Learn about the firm before writing. If you can reference the firm’s clientele or practice areas, do it.
Follow up once after 5–7 days if there’s no response. After that, move on.
Note: Chennai’s articleship market moves faster right after CA Inter results are announced. If you wait a week or two post-results to start applying, the better mid-sized firms may already have filled their vacancies.
Have your resume ready before results, so you can send applications within 24–48 hours of confirmation.
Also consider the firm size relative to your goals. Smaller proprietorship firms often give you more direct client interaction and diverse work from day one. Larger firms may have structured training programmes but can be more departmentally siloed. What you should pick depends on what you want to walk away with at the end of your articleship.
Tips for Cracking a CA Firm Articleship Interview
Most articleship firms in Chennai evaluate your basics, attitude, and communication.
Here are quick interview tips to help you ace it:
Know your Fundamentals
Expect questions from CA Inter subjects (Accounts, Audit, Tax, Law). Don’t try to revise everything at the last minute, focus on core concepts. Be clear on basics like depreciation methods, audit procedures, GST thresholds, and key Companies Act provisions, as these are commonly tested.
Be Clear on why you chose that Firm
Avoid generic answers. Clearly explain why you’re interested in that specific firm, whether it’s their client base, service lines, or exposure (e.g., direct tax, consulting). Showing that you’ve done some research makes a strong impression, especially with mid-sized firms.
Dress and Punctuality
Arrive on time and dress formally, even if the firm has a relaxed daily dress code. A professional appearance and punctuality signal seriousness and respect for the opportunity.
Communicate Clearly
Many firms report that students who otherwise have decent technical knowledge lose interviews because they struggle to explain basic concepts in plain English. If you can walk an interviewer through a concept simply and confidently, that stands out.
Questions to ask the Firm
Don’t leave without asking at least one question. Useful ones:
- Which departments will I be rotating through?
- What’s the typical work schedule during peak season?
- What does the first three months of articleship usually look like here?
This signals that you’re serious about the experience, not just looking for any placement.
Marks and Mindset matter
Your CA Inter marksheet creates a first impression before you speak. Strong scores in subjects like Audit, Law, or Tax can help at firms focused on those areas. If your marks are average, don’t dodge the topic, acknowledge them and shift focus to what you’ve improved or learned since.
Interviewers, especially at busy mid-sized firms, meet many candidates after results. Beyond technical knowledge, they value reliability, consistency, professionalism with clients, and commitment to completing the full articleship. In many cases, attitude and dependability matter more than marks.
Firms that invest in structured CA articleship training across audit, tax, and consulting give you a stronger foundation for CA Finals and beyond.
Apply Directly at PKC Management Consulting
If you’re looking for a CA articleship in Chennai with structured exposure across multiple practice areas, PKC Management Consulting is worth a direct application.
PKC has over three decades of presence in the industry and serves around 1,500 clients across sectors including manufacturing, retail, IT, healthcare, education, and construction.
What sets PKC apart for Articleship:
PKC has vacancies in Audit, Taxation, and Management Consulting departments, and article students get an option to rotate between two departments during the training period.
PKC stands out as it gives articles hands-on exposure to how businesses actually operate: setting up SOPs, designing MIS reports, and implementing systems/software.
We offer practical, operational insight that goes beyond traditional audit and tax work.
We conduct monthly “Super Saturday” knowledge sessions where article students present on business topics. This helps develop communication and presentation skills alongside technical competency.
Stipend and Leave Structure:
Students at PKC receive a stipend starting from ₹8,000 per month, going up to ₹15,000 per month by the end of the articleship, along with 1st and 3rd Saturday holidays and 12 days of exam leave. This is over and above the leaves prescribed by ICAI.
Growth Structure for Articles:
The designation of articles in PKC is classified across three stages: Executive, Associate, and Senior Associate with performance-based promotions and variable appraisal pay.
Former articles at PKC have gone on to secure All India Ranks in CA Finals, with the training environment, class permissions, and guidance cited as key contributing factors.
PKC articleship alumni have gone on to work at companies and MNCs including the Big 4 firms, Birla Group, L&T and more.
How to Apply:
- Email: hr@.com
- Phone: +91 9176100097
- Website: pkcindia.com/careers/
- Office: 27/7, Dr. Alagappa Road, Purasawakkam, Chennai
Send your resume with a brief note on which groups you’ve cleared and which department interests you. If results are awaited, you can still reach out. We accept applications from students awaiting results and follow up once both groups are confirmed.
FAQs
Under the new scheme (May 2024 onward), you must clear both CA Inter groups to begin articleship. The old scheme allowed starting after one group. Check your scheme on the SSP portal or with your Regional Office if unsure.
SSP (eservices.icai.org) is the main ICAI portal for all registrations, forms, and approvals. “eSSB” refers to the articleship matching feature on the same portal, where firms post vacancies and students apply.
Processing time varies by region. After principal approval and document upload, it usually takes a few days to a few weeks. Track status on SSP; follow up if there’s no update after ~3 weeks.
Late submission requires a condonation fee (₹500+, depending on the delay). More importantly, any training completed before registration is approved may face scrutiny. Don’t delay. Beyond the fees, late registration also signals carelessness to the Regional Office.
No. Stipend is mandatory as per ICAI minimum rates (revised under the new scheme). It must be paid monthly via bank transfer and cash is not allowed.
Yes, but you need prior permission from ICAI via Form 112, which must be filed within 30 days of joining the additional course. Principal’s endorsement is required, and late filing needs condonation. Common courses articles pursue include B.Com, CS Foundation, or CMA.
