Quick Facts
- Noor Singla of Patiala secured AIR 1 in the ICAI CA Final May 2026 examination.
- He scored 499 of 600 marks (83.17%), the highest in the country this session.
- Noor chose self-study after Class 12, with an IGNOU BCom alongside his preparation.
In This Article
CA Final Topper Noor Singla secured All India Rank 1 in the ICAI CA Final May 2026 examination with 499 of 600 marks, a score of 83.17%.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) declared the result on June 18, 2026, on its official portal caresults.icai.org (ICAI). A total of 7,931 candidates qualified as Chartered Accountants this session, ICAI confirmed. Noor topped a national field in one of India’s toughest professional exams.
Key Takeaways
- Self-study can work for the CA Final, but it needs a strict routine, family backing, and steady daily effort.
- Noor balanced articleship at KPMG Gurugram with exam preparation, showing time management matters as much as raw study hours.
- A flexible degree like IGNOU BCom let Noor focus on CA while still earning a graduate qualification.
CampusFeed Take
Noor Singla’s rank as CA Final Topper is less a story of talent and more a story of structure. He skipped the conventional college route, picked a flexible IGNOU degree, and put nine focused months into each CA stage. That choice will draw close attention from Class 12 commerce students weighing whether full-time college adds value to a CA path. Watch the September 2026 and CA Final November 2026 sessions: if more rank holders report self-study plus a distance degree, ICAI coaching patterns may shift. Discipline, not shortcuts, built this rank. By Avinash.
How did the CA Final Topper rank first?
The CA Final Topper, Noor Singla, ranked first by scoring 499 of 600 marks (83.17%) across both groups, ICAI’s merit list shows. He scored 250 in Group I and 249 in Group II, a near-balanced result rare among rank holders.
Noor is the son of Patiala businessman Gagandeep Singla and homemaker Sujata Singla, The Tribune reported. He has two sisters, one a practising Chartered Accountant. A former DAV Public School, Patiala student, Noor said his interest in finance and accounting shaped his choice of commerce in Class 11.
CA Final May 2026 toppers and marks
The CA Final May 2026 merit list named three All India Rank holders, each from a different state. The table below lists the top three, their cities, and their marks, as published by ICAI.
| Rank | Name | City | Marks (of 600) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR 1 | Noor Singla | Patiala | 499 | 83.17% |
| AIR 2 | Ritij Saraf | Howrah | 475 | 79.17% |
| AIR 3 | Sohan Anil Manjrekar | Dombivli (East) | 473 | 78.83% |
The gap between AIR 1 and AIR 2 was a wide 24 marks, ICAI data shows, a sign of how far ahead Noor finished this session.
About ICAI
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is the statutory body that regulates the Chartered Accountancy profession in India. Set up in 1949 under an Act of Parliament, it works under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. ICAI conducts the CA Foundation, Intermediate, and Final examinations and has over 4 lakh members across India and abroad, making it one of the world’s largest accounting bodies.
What was Noor Singla’s study path?
Noor Singla’s study path began with self-study after he completed Class 12 in 2022, he told reporters. He chose not to enrol in a regular full-time degree and instead took a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance) from the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
“I cleared the Foundation examination shortly after completing my Class 12 boards in 2022.”
Noor said the revised CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) exam pattern after the pandemic gave him extra months to prepare. He cleared CA Foundation soon after his boards, then secured AIR 2 in the CA Intermediate exam in May 2023. He did his articleship at KPMG, Gurugram, finishing the training in August 2025 while preparing for the Final. You can verify the full CA scheme on the official ICAI website.
What this means for you
If you are a student
You do not always need a full-time college seat to clear the CA Final. Noor used a flexible IGNOU BCom so he could give more time to CA preparation. If you plan a similar route, build a fixed daily routine, set group-wise targets, and treat articleship as serious learning, not just a formality. Consistency over many months matters more than long single-day study bursts.
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If you are a parent
Noor credited his family as a key source of motivation through long preparation months. Your steady support, a calm home, and patience during setbacks help more than pressure. The CA path can take three to four years and several attempts, so plan finances and emotional backing for that full stretch, not just one exam.
If you are a school principal or teacher
Commerce students often ask whether to pick CA early. Noor’s interest started in Class 10 when he chose between science and commerce. Sharing real rank holder paths, like self-study plus a distance degree, helps students see options beyond the usual college route. Career counselling at the Class 10 and Class 12 stage can shape these decisions well.
What Is Next
Noor said he plans to move to Mumbai and wants to build a career in investment banking or private equity. For students eyeing the next CA cycles, key dates are worth tracking. Watch these upcoming ICAI milestones:
- CA Intermediate May 2026 result: declared June 24, 2026.
- CA Foundation and Intermediate September 2026 exams.
- CA Final November 2026 session.
Will more rank holders in the coming sessions follow the self-study route Noor took?
Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: June 22, 2026 at 10:30 IST
Last verified: June 22, 2026
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is based on publicly available information at the time of publishing. Exam dates, cutoffs, fees, deadlines, eligibility criteria, and result details can change without notice. Always verify the latest information from the official portal of ICAI before taking any action. CampusFeed and its authors are not responsible for decisions made based on this article. This is not legal, financial, or career advice. Please consult a qualified professional for individual guidance.
Written by Avinash. Published: June 22, 2026. Updated: June 22, 2026. Have a tip or correction? Write to us at editorial@campusfeed.in.
