CMA Intermediate · June 2026 · Paper 8
CMA Intermediate Cost Accounting June 2026: paper analysis
Our own analysis of the official paper, as of 12 October 2026. The questions and answers belong to ICMAI; read them on ICMAI'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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2(a) | 7 | Cost and profit statement for a manufacturer with opening and closing inventories and overheads linked to labour and sales | Introduction to Cost Accounting |
| 2(b) | 7 | Total inventory cost of the current ordering policy versus the economic order quantity and the resulting saving | Material Costs |
| 3(a) | 7 | Treating under-absorbed production overheads split between abnormal causes and normal cost increases | Overheads |
| 3(b) | 7 | Journal entries under an integrated accounting system for materials, wages and overhead absorption | Integrated Accounting System |
| 4(a) | 7 | Hotel operating costing: room tariffs for different room types with occupancy levels and a profit margin | Operating Costing - Transport, Hotel and Healthcare |
| 4(b) | 7 | Contract account and contractee's account over two years with notional profit and completion | Contract Costing |
| 5(a) | 7 | Process costing with closing work-in-progress: equivalent production, cost per unit and process account | Process Costing |
| 5(b) | 7 | Labour cost, rate, efficiency, revised efficiency and mix variances for a mixed-grade workforce | Standard Costing and Variance Analysis |
| 6(a) | 7 | Break-even sales, sales needed for a target return on investment and profit at a given volume | Marginal Costing |
| 6(b) | 7 | Optimal product mix when raw material is the limiting factor and resulting profit | Marginal Costing |
| 7(a) | 7 | Quarterly production budget and identifying the quarter in which break-even is reached | Budget and Budgetary Control |
| 7(b) | 7 | Scope and measurement principles of the cost accounting standard on direct expenses | Cost Accounting Standards (CAS 1 to CAS 24) |
| 8(a) | 4 | Differences between financial accounting and management accounting | Introduction to Cost Accounting |
| 8(b) | 5 | Essential features of a sound purchasing procedure | Material Costs |
| 8(c) | 5 | Characteristics of job costing | Job Costing |
What stood out
- Eleven of the fifteen written parts were numerical, so Section B rewarded practice in cost computations more than theory reading.
- Marginal costing was the most tested chapter overall: two written parts (break-even with target return, limiting-factor product mix) plus three MCQs.
- Each method of costing got a turn: contract, process, operating (hotel) and job costing all appeared, with batch costing in the MCQs.
- Question 8 was a short-note style theory question (4+5+5 marks) and, with the cost accounting standard part in Question 7, offered an escape route for candidates weaker in numericals.
- Cost accounting standards were tested in two MCQs and one written part, so the CAS summaries deserve dedicated revision.
Practise the chapters that carried the marks
Marginal Costing, Material Costs, Introduction to Cost Accounting: study guides and practice questions in the CMA Intermediate format.