ICAI To Set Up Advanced Forensic Auditing Lab In Hyderabad For Small CA Firms

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is set to establish an advanced forensic auditing laboratory in Hyderabad to support small and medium chartered accountant firms in building forensic audit capabilities, IChttps://edinbox.com/index.php/news/sustainability/7556-government-moves-to-make-sustainable-education-central-to-employment-strategyAI President Prasanna Kumar D has said.

According to Kumar, the proposed facility will operate on a “pay and use” model and provide assignment-specific forensic auditing tools to practitioners who may not have access to expensive technologies independently.

Speaking in a recent interview to PTI, Kumar said many small and medium CA firms are currently unable to participate in large forensic audit assignments due to the lack of specialised infrastructure and technical expertise.

To address this gap, ICAI plans to launch the advanced forensic auditing lab at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Hyderabad within the next two to three months.

“Forensic audit is an emerging area, and many smaller firms do not have the necessary capabilities to undertake large assignments. The new lab will help bridge that gap,” Kumar said.

The initiative comes at a time when the accounting profession is undergoing rapid transformation with growing emphasis on forensic auditing, artificial intelligence, data analytics, ESG disclosures, and non-financial reporting.

ICAI, which has more than five lakh members across India, is also working to modernise its education and training framework in response to evolving industry requirements.

The institute recently constituted the Committee for Review of Education and Training (CRET), which is expected to recommend major curriculum updates in the coming months. The revised curriculum is likely to integrate emerging subjects such as AI, data analytics, and forensic auditing into chartered accountancy education.

Meanwhile, the institute has also introduced global networking guidelines aimed at enabling the creation of large home-grown accounting firms capable of competing with international players and collaborating with global networks.

Officials believe the new forensic auditing lab will not only strengthen the professional capabilities of smaller CA firms but also create better opportunities in India’s expanding financial and compliance ecosystem.