Budget 2026: Chartered Accountant Raises Concern Over ‘Corporate Mitras’ Concept
The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, in the Union Budget 2026-27, proposed to create a new cadre of ‘Corporate Mitras’ to support the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The government will work with the professional institutes, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI), to introduce short-term modular courses and practical tools to train corporate mitras in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. These corporate mitras will help the MSMEs meet compliance requirements at low and affordable costs.
CA Himank Singla has shared his concerns regarding this, saying that the ‘Corporate Mitras Concept’ needs much deeper thought. As per Singla, the proposal seems flawed, as it is asking the country’s three premium professional institutes, like ICAI, ICSI, and ICMAI, to train the para-professionals who will compete with their own members.
The CA points out that the members of these institutes spend many years clearing difficult exams, following ethics and carrying accountability. Considering their hard work, the institutes are being asked to create a separate and cheaper layer.
Even though he agrees that the compliance support is necessary for MSMSe, he believes that the reform is not supposed to weaken the role of the qualified professionals.
He also raised a question asking where the institute’s duty to its members is in this government’s proposal.
My two cents on “Corporate Mitras” concept being proposed in Budget 2026:
Corporate Mitras in Budget 2026 needs deeper thought.
Asking the country’s 3 premium professional institutes to train para-professionals who will compete with their own members feels structurally flawed.…
— CA Himank Singla (@CAHimankSingla) February 1, 2026
