‘CA degree is losing its value’: CA’s viral post urges shift from compliance to strategy

A viral LinkedIn post by investment banker Sarthak Ahuja has sparked controversy over the declining market value of a Chartered Accountancy (CA) degree and the changing role of financial professionals in India. Ahuja, who himself holds a CA, argued that although the degree still provides credibility, it no longer guarantees outstanding pay or career growth unless professionals evolve beyond traditional compliance work.

Ahuja backed up his argument with data showing that while the final pass rate rose to nearly 25%, the average hiring salary fell from INR 13 lakh in 2023 to about INR 12.5 lakh this year. “The CA degree is losing value in the market,” he wrote, explaining that the profession is seeing “an upward trend in success rate but a downward trend in compensation.”

He noted that many professionals tend to blame the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), but he believes the responsibility lies with the profession. According to him, the institute will naturally focus on “more students, more members, more fees”, while it will be up to individual CAs to redefine their value proposition.

“The real question is whether you are a cost center or a profit center,” Ahuja wrote. Those who limit themselves to filing taxes, auditing or accounting remain stuck in commoditized roles, he said. Instead, he urged CAs to focus toward revenue-generating opportunities, such as raising capital, managing wealth for high-net-worth clients, or helping companies expand abroad.

He suggested that future-ready professionals learn to “create value, not just verify it,” and if the current framework limits such opportunities, “it may be worth ditching your practice certificate and moving toward services that pay better.”

Ahuja concluded that the function of certification is to provide “downside protection,” ensuring basic survival, while real wealth and growth comes from “business acumen and differentiation.”

This publication sparked widespread discussion among financial sector professionals. One user summed up this shift succinctly, “Old CA model: file taxes, audit books, bill hours.
The New CA Model: Raising Capital, Building Strategy, and Capturing Value.
The degree gave credibility. Mentality gives size.

Another user agreed that ICAI is not entirely to blame but could do more to modernize training. While the institute hosts networking events, they wrote, it should focus on programs that “develop real-world skills, expand knowledge of emerging markets, and help members become true profit centers for their clients.”

Others pointed out that the real challenge lies in quality, not quantity. One commentator said: “It’s the kind of chartered accountants we need to worry about. There are some CAs running companies who don’t even know the income tax bracket rate and start blaming the institute.”

As one user humorously put it, “CAs should be less like calculators and more like Swiss Army knives – versatile, sharp, and ready to cut through the competition.”