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Audit panel calendar and updates
The current notices and key dates for the audit panels CA firms in India apply to: the ICAI MEF bank branch auditors' panel, C&AG empanelment, RBI's audit directions, the NABARD and CRCS co-operative panels and the peer review mandate. Each item links to the official page.
Last checked: 20 Oct 2026
Rules change every year. Always confirm on the official site before filing. This page is information, not advice. A date marked "Not announced" is what past years suggest, not a notice.
The year at a glance
| When | What happens |
|---|
Jan to Mar
Usual pattern | C&AG window (status as on 1 Jan). Draft Bank Branch Auditors' Panel from the MEF (late Jan in the last three cycles). |
1 Jul
Current rule | MEF cut-off: firm, partners and CA employees counted as on this date. |
By 31 Jul
Current rule | Form 18 counted for the MEF if filed within a month of the cut-off. Banks and UCBs apply to RBI for auditor approvals before 31 Jul. |
Aug to Oct
Usual pattern | MEF form hosted and filed; extensions and a last opportunity are common. |
Oct / Nov
Usual pattern | MEF second verification of records. |
31 Dec 2026
Current rule | Peer review Phase IV applies (PSB branch audits; attest firms with 3 or more partners). |
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Panel by panel
What each panel is, the latest official notice, the dates for the current cycle and the usual yearly pattern.
ICAI Multipurpose Empanelment Form (MEF): bank branch auditors' panel
ICAI Professional Development Committee, at meficai.org · MEF 2026-27: filing closed
One yearly form from which ICAI prepares the Bank Branch Auditors' Panel sent to RBI; ICAI also shares MEF data with RBI, NABARD, CRCS and other authorities.
Latest official notices
Key dates
| Date | What |
|---|
1 Jul 2026
Confirmed, past | Cut-off date: the firm and its members are counted as on this date (MEF 2026-27 advisory) |
31 Jul 2026
Confirmed, past | Form 18 counted if filed within one month of the cut-off (ICAI rule since 2023-24) |
7 Aug 2026
Confirmed, past | MEF 2026-27 hosted |
9 Sep 2026
Confirmed, past | Last date (extended from 29 Aug 2026) |
15 to 16 Oct 2026
Confirmed, past | Last opportunity window |
Oct / Nov 2026
Confirmed | Second verification of records against SSP, "normally" in October / November (advisory). Partner and CA employee credit needs exclusive association from 1 Jul 2026 until this date. |
Not announced
Not announced | Draft Bank Branch Auditors' Panel 2026-27 for checking and complaints. The advisory says the draft panel is hosted "generally" in October / November; for the last three cycles ICAI announced it in late January (25 Jan 2024, 30 Jan 2025, 23 Jan 2026). |
Usual yearly pattern
- Cut-off 1 July every year, with Form 18 counted if filed within one month (ICAI announcement of 30 Jun 2023).
- Form hosted in August / September (19 Sep 2023, 17 Sep 2024, 7 Aug 2026), usually followed by one or more extensions and, in recent years, a short "last opportunity" window in October.
- Draft panel open for about a week for checking and complaints (2025-26: hosted 23 Jan 2026, open till 30 Jan 2026), then the final panel goes to RBI.
What to watch next
Draft panel 2026-27 on meficai.org and icai.org (Empanelment). For 2027-28, expect the cut-off of 1 Jul 2027 and the form around Aug / Sep 2027, based on past years; not announced yet.
RBI statutory audit directions (banks, co-operative banks, NBFCs)
Reserve Bank of India, Department of Supervision · Directions 2026 in force
The rules banks and NBFCs follow to choose, approve and rotate their statutory central, branch and other auditors.
Latest official notices
Key dates
| Date | What |
|---|
Before 31 Jul (every year)
Confirmed | Commercial banks apply to RBI (DoS) for approval of SCAs / SAs for the year; PSBs approach RBI within one month of receiving the list of eligible audit firms from RBI (Commercial Banks directions). |
Before 31 Jul (every year)
Confirmed | UCBs apply to RBI (DoS) for approval of SCAs / SAs (UCB directions). |
Usual yearly pattern
- Since 31 Jul 2026, RBI's audit instructions sit in entity-wise "Statutory Audit Directions, 2026" (commercial banks, small finance banks, payments banks, local area banks, UCBs, rural co-operative banks, NBFCs). Earlier instructions listed in RBI circular DoS.CO.PPG.66/11.01.005/2026-27 of 31 Jul 2026 stand repealed.
- RBI amends a direction in place and shows the date as "Updated as on ...".
- ICAI's draft panel 2025-26 was prepared under the 6 Mar 2023 PSB branch auditor norms. Whether the 2026-27 panel uses the same categories is not stated on an official page we could find: check the MEF site and RBI before you rely on a category table.
What to watch next
Any "Updated as on" change to the directions that apply to you, and ICAI's statement of which RBI norms the 2026-27 draft panel follows.
C&AG empanelment of CA firms / LLPs
Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, at care.cag.gov.in · 2026-27 done; 2027-28 not announced
Yearly online application and point score for appointment as auditors of government companies under sections 139(5) and 139(7) of the Companies Act, 2013.
Latest official notices
Key dates
| Date | What |
|---|
1 Jan 2026
Confirmed, past | Status date for the 2026-27 application |
13 Feb to 2 Mar 2026
Confirmed, past | Online application window 2026-27 |
10 Mar 2026
Confirmed, past | Acknowledgement letter print-out and supporting hard copies due |
Expected Jan to Mar 2027
Not announced | 2027-28 window, data as on 1 Jan 2027, based on past years. Not announced yet. |
Usual yearly pattern
- The window opens early in the calendar year and the firm reports its status as on 1 January: 2024-25 was 5 Jan to 15 Feb 2024; 2025-26 was 7 Jan to 17 Feb 2025 (hard copies by 28 Feb 2025); 2026-27 was 13 Feb to 2 Mar 2026.
- No acknowledgement letter generated online means the application is not considered.
- The policy is reissued from time to time (2024-25, 2025-26, "2026-2027 and onwards"): read the current one before applying.
- From 2024-25, a branch office counts for allotment only where at least 50 percent of full-time partners, or two full-time partners, whichever is less, are stationed (ICAI announcement of 9 Nov 2023).
What to watch next
The 2027-28 notification on care.cag.gov.in (and usually on icai.org Empanelment), expected around Jan to Feb 2027 based on past years.
State and Central Co-operative Banks (StCB / CCB) panel through NABARD
NABARD prepares the list; RBI approves appointments · Follows the MEF year
NABARD takes the list of audit firms from ICAI each year, applies RBI's eligibility criteria and gives banks an all-India, state-wise list of eligible firms.
Latest official notices
Key dates
| Date | What |
|---|
Before 31 Jul (every year)
Confirmed | The bank selects firms from NABARD's list, gets Board / ACB approval and applies to RBI (DoS) for prior approval (Rural Co-operative Banks directions). |
With the MEF
Confirmed | Firms get onto NABARD's list through the MEF data ICAI shares; there is no separate national window that we could confirm. |
Usual yearly pattern
- ICAI list (from the MEF) to NABARD, NABARD applies the eligibility criteria and shares a state-wise list, the bank selects, RBI gives prior approval, the bank appoints at its AGM.
- The MEF advisory refers to RBI's 15 Jan 2024 guidelines; RBI's 2026 directions now hold these rules. Check the current directions before relying on either.
What to watch next
Changes to the Rural Co-operative Banks directions on rbi.org.in and any NABARD notice. We could not open nabard.org on 20 Oct 2026 (the site did not respond), so no NABARD page is cited here.
CRCS panel of auditors for multi-state co-operative societies
Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (Ministry of Cooperation), at crcs.gov.in · FY 2025-26 panel, also for FY 2026-27
A notified panel of CA firms from which multi-state co-operative societies (MSCS) choose statutory and concurrent auditors.
Latest official notices
Key dates
| Date | What |
|---|
Within one month of appointment
Confirmed | The MSCS reports the auditor's appointment on the CRCS portal (30 Apr 2026 order). |
Not announced
Not announced | Next revised panel |
Usual yearly pattern
- CRCS has issued panel orders on 21 Sep 2023, 3 Oct 2024, 21 Mar 2025 and 30 Apr 2026, each replacing the earlier ones.
- Statutory audit of multi-state co-operative banks uses the panel approved by RBI for commercial banks / UCBs.
- ICAI says MEF data is shared with CRCS (MEF 2026-27 announcement). The order does not say on its covering pages how firms were picked.
What to watch next
The "Panel of Auditors" page on crcs.gov.in for a revised panel.
State co-operative societies and local bodies
Each state's Registrar of Co-operative Societies or local fund / local body audit department · Varies by state
Panels for co-operative societies registered under a state Act and for local bodies are set by each state; there is no single national panel.
Key dates
| Date | What |
|---|
As notified
Confirmed | Check your state Registrar's or audit department's website for the current notice and form. |
Usual yearly pattern
- Rules, forms and dates differ from state to state and can change each year.
What to watch next
Your state department's website. We do not list state notices on this page.
Peer review mandate (affects bank branch and statutory audits)
ICAI Peer Review Board · Phase IV from 31 Dec 2026
From the Phase IV date, a peer review certificate is a pre-requisite for firms that propose to audit branches of public sector banks, and for attest firms with 3 or more partners before accepting any statutory audit.
Latest official notices
Key dates
| Date | What |
|---|
31 Dec 2026
Confirmed | Phase IV applies: practice units proposing to audit branches of PSBs need a peer review certificate; so do practice units rendering attestation services with 3 or more partners, before accepting any statutory audit. |
Usual yearly pattern
- ICAI has deferred phases before (Phase III and IV on 22 Jan 2025, Phase IV again on 31 Dec 2025). Check the Peer Review Board page for any change before the date.
- C&AG's policy 2026-27 gives up to 25 points for a valid ICAI peer review certificate.
What to watch next
Any further announcement on the ICAI Peer Review Board page before 31 Dec 2026.
Update log
Official notices and changes to this page, newest first.
- 20 Oct 2026: Page published. Every panel re-checked on the official sites listed on this page. nabard.org did not respond, so the NABARD item relies on RBI's directions.
- 14 Oct 2026: ICAI: last opportunity to submit MEF 2026-27, from 15 Oct (midnight) to 16 Oct 2026 (midnight). Official notice
- 1 Oct 2026: RBI Commercial Banks Statutory Audit Directions updated: some paragraphs substituted w.e.f. 1 Oct 2026. Official notice
- 28 Aug 2026: ICAI: MEF 2026-27 last date extended from 29 Aug to 9 Sep 2026. Official notice
- 7 Aug 2026: ICAI: MEF 2026-27 hosted, last date 29 Aug 2026. Official notice
- 31 Jul 2026: RBI issues the Statutory Audit Directions, 2026 for commercial banks, UCBs, rural co-operative banks, NBFCs and others. Official notice
- 30 Apr 2026: CRCS: panel of auditors for multi-state co-operative societies, FY 2025-26, also for FY 2026-27. Official notice
- 13 Feb 2026: C&AG empanelment 2026-27 window opens (till 2 Mar 2026; hard copies by 10 Mar 2026). Official notice
- 23 Jan 2026: ICAI: Draft Bank Branch Auditors' Panel 2025-26 hosted, open till 30 Jan 2026. Official notice
- 31 Dec 2025: ICAI: Phase IV of the peer review mandate deferred to 31 Dec 2026. Official notice
Rules change every year. Always confirm on the official site before filing. This page is information, not advice. It is not a statement that any firm is eligible for, or will be given, any panel place or audit.
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