SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) | Ministry of Education (MoE)
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), through its Board of Studies (Academic), organized a landmark two-day Global Education Summit on Commerce and Accountancy (GES-CA) 2026 in New Delhi. Under the theme “Rising Together – Transforming Commerce Learning into Leadership,” the summit brought together over 180 academic and industry leaders, including 20 Vice-Chancellors, to bridge the gap between academic curricula and professional requirements. A key outcome was the launch of the ICAI Model Curriculum for Commerce and Accountancy Education, which aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to streamline commerce education from secondary to undergraduate levels across India.
Key Strategic Outcomes and Themes
Unified Model Curriculum: Launched to standardize and modernize commerce syllabi at the Secondary, Senior Secondary, and Undergraduate levels nationwide.
Institutional Collaboration: ICAI signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with 15 universities and colleges, including National Law University Delhi and Chandigarh University, to enhance faculty development and ensure course uniformity.
Future-Ready Skills: Sessions focused on integrating AI and automation into accounting education to prepare the next generation for an evolving digital landscape.
Holistic Development: Deliberations covered contemporary issues such as sustainable business practices, ethical decision-making, and the challenges of 21st-century entrepreneurship.
Employability Focus: A primary objective of the summit was sharing insights to enhance the global competitiveness and employability of commerce graduates through proactive upskilling.
Inclusive Growth and Early Literacy
Early Financial Literacy: ICAI emphasized introducing commerce education at the secondary level to build foundational financial literacy and business acumen.
Language and Access: To ensure wider reach, the summit advocated for promoting professional education in regional languages, supporting inclusive growth under the vision of “Viksit Bharat”.
Policy Relevance
The summit reinforces ICAI’s role as a primary driver of educational reform, ensuring that India’s financial talent pipeline is equipped for global leadership.
Strategic Impact:
Standardizing Talent Pipelines: Uniform curricula across universities reduce regional education disparities, creating a consistent national standard for accounting talent.
Adapting to AI Headwinds: By proactively integrating AI into professional training, the policy minimizes the risk of workforce displacement due to automation.
Strengthening Economic Foundations: Promoting early financial literacy prepares youth to contribute more effectively to India’s $5 trillion economy goal.
Global Benchmarking: Internationalizing Indian higher education through global summits helps Indian CAs compete effectively in international job markets.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can the ICAI Model Curriculum be further leveraged by State Education Boards to ensure that vocational ‘Green Skills’ are integrated into rural commerce education as a core component?
Follow the full news here: ICAI organises GES-CA 2026 to Transform Commerce Education into Future Leadership