CA Foundation Passing Marks: 40 Per Paper, 200 of 400 and the MCQ Maths

The CA Foundation passing marks are 40 in each of the four papers and 200 out of 400 in aggregate, both in the same sitting. Papers 3 and 4 are MCQ papers with a 0.25 negative mark, so a 40 there usually takes more than 40 right answers. I worked it out: attempt all 100 questions and you need 52 right; attempt 80 and you need 48; attempt only 50 and you need 42, which is 84% accuracy.

ICAI sets two bars, and you have to clear both at once. Four papers all above 40 but 197 in total is a fail, and so is 260 in total with a 39 in one paper.

TL;DR

• Pass: at least 40 in each paper and 200 of 400 in aggregate, in one sitting.
• Negative marking applies only in Papers 3 and 4, at 0.25 a wrong answer, and any fraction is rounded up.
• A 40 in an MCQ paper needs 52 right of 100 attempted, 48 of 80, or 42 of 50.
• If Accounts and Law together reach 120, Papers 3 and 4 need only 40 each.
• Distinction is 280 of 400. There is no paper exemption and no cut-off.

What are the CA Foundation passing marks in each paper?

ICAI's guidance note for the September 2026 exam gives the rule in para 21: at least 40 marks in each paper and 50% in aggregate of all 4 papers, in one sitting. ICAI's FAQs on the CA course, updated on 29 July 2026, say the same.

Each paper is out of 100. Papers 1 and 2 (Accounts and Business Laws) are descriptive. Paper 3, Quantitative Aptitude, and Paper 4, Business Economics, are MCQ.

Four 40s add up to 160, which is 40 short. Two examples I checked against the rule: 55 + 48 + 50 + 44 = 197 fails on aggregate, and 85 + 70 + 39 + 66 = 260 fails because of the 39. In Papers 1 and 2, half a mark or more is rounded up, so 39.5 becomes 40 and clears the paper. 39.25 stays 39.

You pass with 40 or more in all four papers and at least 200 of 400, in the same attempt.

How does negative marking work in Papers 3 and 4?

The September 2026 Paper 3 and 4 booklets, on ICAI's Foundation question papers page, each have 100 four-option questions for 100 marks. Instruction 9 on the cover: 1 mark for a right answer, a quarter mark off for a wrong one, zero for a blank. Two darkened circles for one question count as wrong.

Papers 1 and 2 have no negative marking. In Papers 3 and 4, ICAI rounds any fraction up to the next full mark. That helps less than it sounds. Four wrong answers cancel one right one, and 51 right with 49 wrong is 38.75, which becomes 39. Still a fail.

Each wrong MCQ costs 0.25 and a blank costs nothing. Rounding up only lifts you to the next whole mark.

How many MCQs do you need right to score 40?

It depends on how many you attempt. Read each pair as right answers of questions attempted, out of 100 questions:

• To score 40: 42 right of 50 attempted (84% accuracy), 44 of 60 (73%), 46 of 70 (66%), 48 of 80 (60%), 50 of 90 (56%), 52 of 100 (52%).
• To score 50: 50 right of 50 attempted, 52 of 60, 54 of 70, 56 of 80, 58 of 90, 60 of 100.
• To score 60: 60 right of 60 attempted, 62 of 70, 64 of 80, 66 of 90, 68 of 100.
• To score 70: 70 right of 70 attempted, 72 of 80, 74 of 90, 76 of 100.

Method: I applied ICAI's Paper 3 and 4 marking (1 mark right, minus 0.25 wrong, 0 blank, any fraction rounded up) to every count of right answers at each attempt level, in Python, and kept the smallest count that reaches the target.

Source: ICAI Foundation guidance note September 2026 (para 21), September 2026 Paper 3 and 4 question booklets; Gradehunt analysis.

With the attempt count fixed, each extra right answer adds 1.25 marks, because it adds 1 and removes a 0.25 penalty.

Should you guess the ones you are unsure of?

This part is probability arithmetic from the marking rule; I have not measured it on real answer sheets. A guess pays on average only when your chance of being right is above 1 in 5. A blind guess among four options is worth +0.0625 marks; rule out one option and it rises to +0.167, rule out two and it is +0.375. So I tell students to answer when they can strike out at least one option.

A 40 needs 52 right if you attempt all 100. Attempt fewer, and the accuracy you need climbs fast.

What do Papers 3 and 4 need if Accounts and Law are weak?

Papers 3 and 4 must make up whatever Accounts and Law leave short of 200, and each must still be 40 or more. Right answers assume an even split and all 100 questions attempted, with the 80-attempted figure in brackets:

• Accounts + Law = 80: Papers 3 + 4 need 120, so 60 each, which is 68 right of 100 in each (64 of 80).
• Accounts + Law = 90: Papers 3 + 4 need 110, so 55 each, which is 64 right of 100 (60 of 80).
• Accounts + Law = 100: Papers 3 + 4 need 100, so 50 each, which is 60 right of 100 (56 of 80).
• Accounts + Law = 110: Papers 3 + 4 need 90, so 45 each, which is 56 right of 100 (52 of 80).
• Accounts + Law = 120 or more: Papers 3 + 4 need just 40 each, which is 52 right of 100 (48 of 80).

Source: ICAI Foundation guidance note September 2026 (para 21); Gradehunt analysis in Python.

For your own four marks, try our CA Foundation marks calculator. Once Accounts and Law reach 120 between them, the MCQ papers only need 40 each.

Is there an exemption, a cut-off or a lower bar for any category?

No. The guidance note's checklist is direct: "There is No Concept of Exemption in a paper(s) in the Foundation Exam." A student who fails writes all four papers again.

The rule is absolute, so there is no cut-off and your result does not depend on how others score. The note sets one passing rule for all candidates and lists no category-wise relaxation. It also says ICAI issues no pass certificate for Foundation, and a student who has passed cannot sit again to improve marks.

Every candidate needs the same 40 per paper and 200 in total.

What marks give a distinction or an all-India rank?

Pass with distinction needs 70%, or 280 of 400, and ICAI shows it on the result card. A rank certificate needs at least 60%, or 240, and goes only to the top 20 ranks, all-India.

For 280, with all 100 questions attempted: if Accounts and Law total 120, each MCQ paper needs 80 (84 right). At 130 it is 75 (80 right), at 140 it is 70 (76 right), and at 150 it is 65 (72 right).

Source: ICAI Foundation guidance note September 2026 (paras 18 and 20); Gradehunt analysis in Python.

A distinction is 280 of 400; with 140 in Accounts and Law, that means 76 right answers in each MCQ paper.

How many students pass under this rule?

I pooled ICAI's figures for all eight sessions under the current scheme, June 2024 to September 2026. Counting each session's candidates separately, 1,37,510 of 7,58,864 appearances ended in a pass: 18.12%. Sessions ranged from 14.78% (September 2025) to 21.52% (January 2025). The 12 sessions of the 2017 scheme, May 2018 to December 2023, pooled to 29.66%.

Source: ICAI result press releases June 2024 to September 2026; 2017 scheme from ICAI press releases and ICAI's Examination Key Statistics; Gradehunt count.

The session list is on our CA Foundation pass percentage page, and the latest toppers are in our CA Foundation result September 2026 post. Under the current scheme, 81.88% of sittings ended without a pass.

Failed by a few marks: what should you do for January 2027?

ICAI's announcement of 23 September 2026 puts the Foundation papers on 3, 5, 7 and 9 January 2027. The form dates and fee are in our CA January 2027 exam form guide. Registration stays valid for four years from your first eligible attempt.

Before 3 January, write Papers 3 and 4 in full under the clock and count your right, wrong and blank answers each time. You write all four papers again, so practise Accounts and Law under the clock as well. The Gradehunt CA Foundation test series has full syllabus mock tests for all 4 papers, starting from ₹199 per subject. All 4 papers are checked, MCQ and descriptive, within 48 hours of upload.