CA Intermediate · January 2026 · Paper 1
CA Intermediate Advanced Accounting January 2026: paper analysis
Our own analysis of the official paper, as of 12 October 2026. The questions and answers belong to ICAI; read them on ICAI's website.
Chapter-wise marks
Where the marks were in this paper (out of 100; internal-choice alternatives not double counted).
What each question tested
In our words, by question number. Open the official paper for the full question.
| Q | Marks | Tests | Chapter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1(a) | 5 | Capitalisation of specific and general borrowing costs across qualifying and non-qualifying assets | AS 16 Borrowing Costs |
| 1(b) | 4 | Expected versus actual return on defined benefit plan assets with mid-year contributions and benefit payments | AS 15 Employee Benefits |
| 1(c) | 5 | Basic EPS with a rights issue: bonus element adjustment factor and restated comparative EPS | AS 20 Earnings Per Share |
| 2 | 14 | Capital reduction scheme with share sub-division and surrender, creditor sacrifices, reconstruction account and revised share capital note | Internal Reconstruction |
| 3(a) | 7 | Testing a proposed buy-back against the shares, resources and debt-equity limits, with journal entries | Buyback of Securities |
| 3(b) | 7 | Investment account at average cost covering bonus shares, partly taken-up rights and a part sale | AS 13 Accounting for Investments |
| 4 | 14 | Absorption in the nature of purchase: purchase consideration, acquirer's journal entries and post-absorption balance sheet | Amalgamation of Companies |
| 5 | 14 | Consolidated balance sheet with pre-acquisition dividend, unrealised inventory profit, inter-company debentures and minority interest | AS 21 Consolidated Financial Statements |
| 6(a) | 4 | Initial disclosure requirements for a discontinuing operation | AS 24 Discontinuing Operations |
| 6(a) OR | 4 | Finance lease in lessee's books with guaranteed residual value: asset value and yearly finance charges | AS 19 Leases |
| 6(b) | 4 | Maximum amount usable from reserves to declare dividend in a year of inadequate profits | Financial Statements of Companies |
| 6(c) | 6 | Stock and debtors system for a branch invoiced at cost plus mark-up: branch ledger accounts | Accounting for Branches including Foreign Branches |
What stood out
- The 30-mark MCQ part spread across eleven areas; a four-question cash flow case (AS 3) was the single biggest block.
- Company accounts dominated the written part: reconstruction, amalgamation and consolidation each carried a full 14-mark question.
- Almost every written question was computational; only the AS 24 disclosure item was pure theory.
- Smaller AS questions (AS 16, AS 15, AS 20, AS 19) appeared as 4 to 5 mark parts, so broad coverage of standards still mattered.
- Investment accounting with bonus and rights shares returned as a 7-mark practical alongside a buy-back limits test.
Practise the chapters that carried the marks
Amalgamation of Companies, Internal Reconstruction, AS 21 Consolidated Financial Statements: study guides and practice questions in the CA Intermediate format.