Most CMA students ask this the week they clear a group: do I have to do articleship?
Quick answer: Yes. CMA practical training is compulsory — 15 months for students who registered for the Intermediate course on or after 11 February 2020, and it must be completed before your CMA Final result is declared. It is also flexible: you can train in a company, a bank, a PSU or with a practising Cost Accountant, and if you are already employed in a relevant finance role you can apply for exemption.
New to the course? Our CMA course roadmap shows the whole route from Class 12 to Cost Accountant on one page.
What CMA practical training actually is
It is the on-the-job part of the ICMAI course — 15 months of real work in costing, accounts, audit, taxation or finance under a recognised organisation or a practising Cost Accountant.
There is no exam on it. You submit the forms, complete the months, and ICMAI records the training against your registration number.
ICMAI also runs skills training at the Intermediate stage and an Industry Oriented Training Programme (IOTP) at the Final stage. Those are additional to the 15 months — confirm the current requirement on icmai.in.
When can I start it?
Once you are registered for the Intermediate course. You do not have to wait until both groups are cleared. Many students at our CMA coaching centre in Coimbatore start training after Inter Group 1 and prepare for Group 2 in the evenings.
After you join, submit Form T-1 (training under a practising Cost Accountant) or Form T-4 (recognised organisation) within 30 days. Late forms are the most common reason students lose months they have actually worked.
Where can I do my CMA training?
| Where | Typical examples |
|---|---|
| Practising Cost Accountant | CMA firms handling cost audit, GST, costing assignments |
| Companies | Manufacturing and service companies meeting ICMAI turnover norms |
| PSUs and government | Central and state undertakings, departments |
| Banks and financial institutions | Banks, insurance companies, NBFCs |
ICMAI publishes the list of empanelled organisations on icmai.in. In Coimbatore, most students train with CMA firms or with manufacturing units around Peelamedu, SIDCO and Kurichi.
Already working? You may be exempt
If you are already employed in costing, accounts, audit, taxation or finance, you can claim exemption using Form T-3 with the prescribed fee (₹2,000 as per the current ICMAI notification — please confirm on icmai.in), along with your experience certificate, employer turnover proof and salary slip. Apply by 31 May for the June term or 30 November for the December term.
The honest part
Stipends vary widely — a small CMA firm pays a few thousand rupees a month, a large company or PSU considerably more. Do not chase the stipend. Pick the place where you will actually handle cost sheets, budgets and audits; that is what carries you through interviews, as we explain in jobs after CMA in India.
One last thing students mix up: training forms are not exam forms — see CMA registration vs CMA exam form. Masters Professional Academy also posts short CMA doubt-clearing clips on our YouTube channel and Instagram page, and the full cost is on our CMA course fees in India page.
The Practical Training Scheme, the online training forms portal, ICMAI’s FAQ on training and the lists of organisations empanelled for training are linked in the training section of our CMA links page.
Talk to us about your situation
Not sure whether to start training now or claim exemption? Tell us where you are in the course and we will map it out with you. Free guidance, no obligation to join.
Masters Professional Academy, Peelamedu, Coimbatore · Open 7 days, 9 AM – 7 PM
More questions answered on our CMA Questions & Answers page.