CS Professional · what changed for your attempt
CS Professional December 2026 and June 2027: applicable amendments and notifications
Checked against ICSI's official announcements, as of 12 October 2026. Each item links the official notice; read it before you rely on it.
ICSI tests amendments made up to a cut-off date about six months before each exam: 31 May for the December session and 30 November of the previous year for the June session. Before each session it publishes which study material edition applies, subject-wise supplements covering later amendments, and separate notices on which Finance Act or tax law applies.
At a glance
| Update | Type | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Income-tax Act, 2025 examined from June 2027 | Tax law | June 2027 |
| December 2026: study material editions and supplements to use | Applicability notice | December 2026 |
| December 2026: Finance Act, 2025 applies; new Income-tax Act does not | Tax law | December 2026 |
| New Elective 4.6: IFSCA - Regulations, Listing and Compliances | Syllabus | December 2026, June 2027 |
| Elective 4.5: Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice | Syllabus | December 2026, June 2027 |
Tax law · notice of 5 Aug 2026
Income-tax Act, 2025 examined from June 2027
The Income-tax Act, 2025 (as amended by the Finance Act, 2026) and the Income-tax Rules, 2026 took effect on 1 April 2026 for tax year 2026-27. ICSI will examine them from the June 2027 session in Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice (Elective 4.5) and GST and Corporate Tax Planning (Elective 7.2), and in any other paper wherever the Income-tax Act is referred to. Notifications and circulars issued up to 30 November 2026 are in scope for June 2027.
What to do: If you are taking June 2027, use the study material editions marked for June 2027 onwards and relearn the new section numbers, including the tax aspects of corporate restructuring.
Effective: From the June 2027 session of CS examinations onwards (1 Apr 2026) · Attempts: June 2027
Chapters affected: Computation of Total Income, Tax Liability and Filing of Returns of various Entities excluding Companies (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Computation of Total Income, Tax Liability and Filing of Return of Companies (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Income Tax Implication on Specified Transactions (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Tax Audit (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Assessment (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Appeals (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Transfer Pricing and General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR) (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Corporate Tax Planning (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Tax Planning and Nature of Business (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Tax Planning and Location of Business (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Tax Planning and Managerial Decisions (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Tax Planning and Business Restructuring (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Taxation and Stamp Duty Aspects of Corporate Restructuring (Corporate Restructuring, Valuation and Insolvency)
Official source: ICSI - Applicability of the Income Tax Act, 2025 and Income Tax Rules, 2026 from June 2027 CS Examination onwards · ICSI - Professional Programme study material (includes editions for June 2027 exam onwards)
Applicability notice · notice of 28 Jul 2026
December 2026: study material editions and supplements to use
For December 2026, ICSI lists the study material editions that apply: most papers are updated to 31 May 2026, Corporate Restructuring, Valuation and Insolvency and Insolvency and Bankruptcy to 3 June 2026, Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice to 31 October 2025, and GST and Corporate Tax Planning to 31 May 2025. Subject-wise December 2026 supplements cover later amendments, and ICSI tells students to read them with the study material.
What to do: Check the edition date of your book against ICSI's list and download the December 2026 supplement for every paper and elective you are taking.
Effective: Applicable for the December 2026 examination · Attempts: December 2026
Scope: the whole exam, not one chapter.
Official source: ICSI - Study Material applicable for December 2026 Examination · ICSI - Supplements (December 2026 attempt)
Tax law · notice of 29 Jun 2026
December 2026: Finance Act, 2025 applies; new Income-tax Act does not
For December 2026, Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice (Elective 4.5) and GST and Corporate Tax Planning (Elective 7.2) are based on the Finance Act, 2025, that is Assessment Year 2026-27 (Previous Year 2025-26). CBDT, CBIC and government rules, notifications and circulars issued up to 31 May 2026 are also examinable. ICSI states that the Income-tax Act, 2025 will not be tested in the December 2026 session.
What to do: Prepare direct tax on the old Act for AY 2026-27 and GST as amended up to 31 May 2026.
Effective: Applicable for the December 2026 session of examination · Attempts: December 2026
Chapters affected: Computation of Total Income, Tax Liability and Filing of Returns of various Entities excluding Companies (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Computation of Total Income, Tax Liability and Filing of Return of Companies (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Income Tax Implication on Specified Transactions (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Tax Audit (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Assessment (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Appeals (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Transfer Pricing and General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR) (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) (Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice); Overview of Goods and Services Tax (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Supply under GST (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Time of Supply (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Value of Supply (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Input Tax Credit and Computation of GST Liability (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Procedural Compliance under GST (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Assessment, Audit, Scrutiny, Demand and Recovery, Advance Ruling, Appeals and Revision (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Inspection, Search, Seizure, Offences and Penalties (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Compliance Rating, Anti-Profiteering, GST Practitioners and Authorised Representative (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Corporate Tax Planning (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Tax Planning and Nature of Business (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Tax Planning and Location of Business (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Tax Planning and Managerial Decisions (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning); Tax Planning and Business Restructuring (Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning)
Official source: ICSI - Applicability of the Finance Act, 2025 for December 2026 Examinations
Syllabus · notice of 27 Dec 2025
New Elective 4.6: IFSCA - Regulations, Listing and Compliances
ICSI added a sixth option to the Elective 1 group (Group 1, Paper 4) under Syllabus 2022: IFSCA - Regulations, Listing and Compliances. It deals with the regulation of International Financial Services Centres under the IFSCA. It is available from the June 2026 session and appears in the December 2026 time table.
What to do: When choosing Elective 1, compare 4.6 with the other options; like all electives it is an open book paper.
Effective: Applicable from the June 2026 session · Attempts: December 2026, June 2027
Scope: the whole exam, not one chapter.
Official source: ICSI - Introduction of New Elective Paper IFSCA - Regulations, Listing and Compliances under Syllabus 2022 · ICSI - Time Table for CS Examinations, December 2026 session
Syllabus · notice of 6 May 2025
Elective 4.5: Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice
The ICSI Council approved a new elective, Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice, and added it to the Elective 1 group as Paper 4.5 under Syllabus 2022. Note that this paper moves to the Income-tax Act, 2025 from June 2027.
What to do: If you pick this elective, check which law applies to your attempt: the Finance Act, 2025 position for December 2026, and the Income-tax Act, 2025 from June 2027.
Effective: Added to Elective 1 of Syllabus 2022 as Paper 4.5 (Council meeting of 14 April 2025) · Attempts: December 2026, June 2027
Scope: the whole exam, not one chapter.
Official source: ICSI - Introduction of New Elective Paper Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice under Syllabus 2022
Chapters to revise with these changes in mind
- Computation of Total Income, Tax Liability and Filing of Returns of various Entities excluding CompaniesAdvanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice · 2 updates
- Computation of Total Income, Tax Liability and Filing of Return of CompaniesAdvanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice · 2 updates
- Income Tax Implication on Specified TransactionsAdvanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice · 2 updates
- Tax AuditAdvanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice · 2 updates
- AssessmentAdvanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice · 2 updates
- AppealsAdvanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice · 2 updates
- Transfer Pricing and General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR)Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice · 2 updates
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)Advanced Direct Tax Laws and Practice · 2 updates
- Corporate Tax PlanningGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning · 2 updates
- Tax Planning and Nature of BusinessGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning · 2 updates
- Tax Planning and Location of BusinessGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning · 2 updates
- Tax Planning and Managerial DecisionsGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning · 2 updates
- Tax Planning and Business RestructuringGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning · 2 updates
- Taxation and Stamp Duty Aspects of Corporate RestructuringCorporate Restructuring, Valuation and Insolvency
- Overview of Goods and Services TaxGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning
- Supply under GSTGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning
- Time of SupplyGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning
- Value of SupplyGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning
- Input Tax Credit and Computation of GST LiabilityGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning
- Procedural Compliance under GSTGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning
- Assessment, Audit, Scrutiny, Demand and Recovery, Advance Ruling, Appeals and RevisionGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning
- Inspection, Search, Seizure, Offences and PenaltiesGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning
- Compliance Rating, Anti-Profiteering, GST Practitioners and Authorised RepresentativeGoods and Services Tax (GST) and Corporate Tax Planning
This page lists only items we could verify on ICSI's or the regulator's own website, summarised in our words. If ICSI publishes a newer applicability notice, it overrides this page. Check for new notices: ICSI - Relevant Material for the upcoming examination.