CMA Journey Overview

Dec, 2021

CMA Journey Overview

CMA Foundation | CMA Inter
CA Satish Jalan

In this blog, we will cover different aspects and milestones of the Cost and Management Accountant Course journey. In the digital era, while we are traveling, we often use Google maps. While navigating, we zoom out certain routes to understand our location better. In the same way, you need to understand the roadmap and milestones of your CMA course and plan your route accordingly.

Let us discuss the journey to the degree:

For the Cost and Management Accountant Course - the start point is divided into the Foundation Route and the Direct Entry Route. It doesn’t matter whether you start directly after your 12th through the Foundation Route or after your degree course through the Intermediate Route. The ultimate goal is to pass the CMA Final exam and secure a degree.

A. The Roadmap for the Foundation Route students:

Let us assume that you decide to attempt CMA, immediately after your Class 12th exam or maybe somewhere in January, before your 12th board exams. So, there will be two milestones namely:

Milestone 1: The first milestone for a 12th class student is the board exams.

Milestone 2: The next milestone will be the CMA Foundation exam in December.

Journey Overview

On this journey from milestone 1 to milestone 2, Coaching will start right after the class 12th examination.
For the December attempt, you must enroll yourself with the CMA Institute by July.
You must fill the examination form by September. Attempt the examinations in December.
Results are expected by the end of January.
Once you have cleared your exams of the Foundation Route, you are now eligible for the Intermediate level.

B. The Roadmap for the Intermediate Students:

There are two categories at this level. The students who enter through the Intermediate level are either from the Foundation Route or they enter through the Direct Entry Route.

Your next doubt will be, who are these Direct Route Students?

So, let us clarify the doubt, they are either the graduates or they would have cleared the CS Foundation or CA Intermediate. There is no minimum mark eligibility for pursuing this course.

How to do CMA along with the Job

Journey Overview:

Let us assume that a final year graduate student decides to take up this professional degree course in the January to March period, to attempt the upcoming December’s Intermediate exam.
Irrespective of marks in graduation, the CMA Institute allows the students to appear in the exam.
After completing graduation, you should start preparing for the CMA Intermediate. In case your university exams are delayed and conducted during April or May, you must begin your classes as early as January or latest by March for CMA Intermediate exams.
When you join the institute, you will have the same/equal opportunities as the Foundation Route students. It's just that the Foundation Route students are two years ahead of the Direct Route Inter students as they have joined the course in the first year of their college.
But in both cases, CMA students are at par with each other at this stage.
July is the most important event for registering in the CMA Institute for the December attempt.
Both the Foundation Route students and the Direct Entry Route students start their journey to the Intermediate exam from February/March.
You need to decide whether you want to attempt a single group or both groups together. Take this decision as soon as possible. It is advised to attempt both groups together if you have started early by March. Many times a student start their preparation from July, in that case one group is only advisable.
Let us assume that the student wants to attempt both the groups together.
As per the course requirements, you must complete an orientation program and a soft skills training course before appearing in both the groups of the Intermediate examination i.e from July to September period. Without this, you shall not be eligible to appear in both the groups. In light of the pandemic, training was exempted for a particular period. But you need to check with the institute for any changes in the training program.
You will not be granted the admit card for examinations, if you fail to complete the training to give both the groups together.
The next thing after training will be filling up the examination form in September. Your exams will be in December and results will be announced in February.

Read More :
Frequently Asked Questions about Scope as a CMA

C. The Roadmap for the Final Students:

The journey for Foundation Route and Direct Entry Route Students is the same from here. This level is the most crucial of all the three levels and therefore requires an effective planning.

Journey Overview

After the Intermediate Group results are announced, start taking classes for the CMA Final Group.
Do not wait for the Internship call. Immediately after the examination, start preparing for the Final Group.

Training

After the Intermediate exam, you need to start the practical training. Now, you might think about how to look out for the opportunity?
So, you need to upload your CV to the institute's job portal to secure an internship/practical training.
Training can be done in various types of firms, subject to certain conditions.
For example: In case, if it's a manufacturing company, the turnover must be at least Rs. 2 crores. In the same way, service industries must have sales of Rs. 50 lakhs.
In case you have work experience from any company that meets the above criteria,, you can file an exemption from the training.
As per the Institute’s norm, if you are a fresher, a minimum of ten-month training is mandatory before appearing for both groups of the CMA Final examination.
Before the training program, you need to complete a seven-day orientation program.
Usually, training consumes 10 months to one-year’s time period.

Read More :

CMA Practical Training: All you need to know About The New Scheme