Exam Pattern
CA Foundation Exam Pattern
CA Foundation (Paper 3: Quantitative Aptitude)
The numbers in the table are this site's set, not ICAI's paper. The official Paper 3 on Quantitative Aptitude is 100 objective questions for 100 marks in two hours, split Business Mathematics 40, Logical Reasoning 20 and Statistics 40, with a quarter mark deducted for a wrong answer. What is built here is a shorter set at the same three-way proportion, 30 questions in 36 minutes, so the shape is the thing to learn from it and the length is practice rather than rehearsal. On the marking, 0.25 against 1 puts break-even at one in five. Paper 4 is a separate paper.
Quantitative Aptitude
Official 2026 pattern| Questions | 30 |
| Total marks | 30 |
| Duration | 36 minutes |
| Negative marking | 0.25 per wrong answer |
| Sections | Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning, Statistics |
| Test | Qs | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Business Mathematics | 12 | 12 |
| Logical Reasoning | 6 | 6 |
| Statistics | 12 | 12 |
Timing: Single composite 36-minute timer for all three sections combined: no sectional lock.
The official ICAI CA Foundation Paper 3 (Quantitative Aptitude) has 100 objective-type questions for 100 marks in 2 hours, split as Business Mathematics 40, Logical Reasoning 20, and Statistics 40 marks, each question carrying 1 mark with 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer. This mock is a TakeMockTest-defined shorter set: 30 questions in 36 minutes across the same three sections in the same proportion. Paper 4 (Business Economics) is not covered here since it leans on economics facts and current context that carry higher correctness risk for self-authored content. Papers 1 and 2 (Accounting and Business Laws) are not covered either since ICAI sets those as subjective, descriptive-answer papers, not multiple choice.
Official source · checked 15 August 2026The CA Foundation Quantitative Aptitude exam pattern is 30 questions carrying 30 marks, to be answered in 36 minutes. That works out to about 72 seconds per question on average, before any time spent reading instructions or revisiting marked answers. The 3 sections are Business Mathematics, Logical Reasoning and Statistics. Business Mathematics carries the most, 12 marks of the 30 or about 40%, against 6 marks for Logical Reasoning. All sections share one composite timer, so you are free to move between them and spend your time where it earns most.
CA Foundation Quantitative Aptitude marking scheme
- Each correct answer is worth 1 mark.
- A wrong answer deducts 0.25 marks; an unattempted question scores zero.
- A guess therefore breaks even at 20% accuracy: above that it gains you marks on average, below it loses them. A blind guess between four options is right 25% of the time, which is already above that line, so an educated guess is worth making rather than leaving the question blank.
- Worked example: attempt 24 of the 30 questions and get 18 right and 6 wrong, and you score 16.5 out of 30.
Practising against the same clock is the point of a mock test: at 72 seconds a question, the difference between a good score and an average one is usually pacing rather than knowledge. Attempt a free CA Foundation mock test to see where your time actually goes.
CA Foundation exam pattern: frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in CA Foundation?
CA Foundation deducts 0.25 marks for a wrong answer. An unattempted question always scores zero, so the choice is only ever between guessing and leaving it blank.
How many questions are there in CA Foundation?
CA Foundation has 30 questions. That leaves about 72 seconds per question in CA Foundation.
What are the total marks in CA Foundation?
CA Foundation is out of 30 marks, which works out at 1 mark a question.
How long is the CA Foundation exam?
CA Foundation runs for 36 minutes.
Does CA Foundation have a sectional time limit?
No. CA Foundation runs every section on one composite timer of 36 minutes, so you can move between sections freely and give the slower ones more of your time.