The CFP® course in India, as structured by FPSB India, has four parts: three Specialist modules — Investment Planning Specialist (IPS), Retirement & Tax Planning Specialist (RTPS) and Risk & Estate Planning Specialist (REPS) — followed by the Integrated Financial Planning (IFP) course, which bundles the Financial Plan Assessment and the CFP® certification exam. Most candidates take the Regular Pathway (open from Class 12 pass); those with qualifying professional degrees or work experience can use the Fast Track Pathway instead. This page walks through what each part actually involves, how it’s delivered, and how long it realistically takes.
Source: FPSB India — india.fpsb.org/cfp-certification
What the CFP® course in India actually consists of
Every CFP® candidate in India goes through the same four building blocks, in the same order, regardless of which institute teaches them: three Specialist courses, then the Integrated Financial Planning capstone. The only thing that changes between candidates is which pathway gets them there.
Regular Pathway vs Fast Track — which route you’re on
The Regular Pathway is the default route: FPSB India’s own eligibility page states candidates must be at least 18 years old and have completed “HSC/12th or other equivalent qualification” to enrol, and must hold a graduation degree by the time they apply for certification. On this pathway you complete all three Specialist courses, then IFP, then the CFP® exam and Financial Plan Assessment, and separately meet the experience and ethics requirements covered in the next section.
The Fast Track Pathway is an accelerated route for candidates who already hold specified professional qualifications — for example CA (with the required articleship), CFA (USA), CPA (AICPA, USA), CMA (USA or India), CS (India), ACCA (UK), a Fellow membership of the Insurance Institute of India, a CAIIB plus graduation, or a full-time MBA/PGDM in a finance-related stream — together with at least three years of relevant work experience in a financial-planning-related domain. Fast Track candidates skip the three Specialist exams entirely and instead sit a single comprehensive exam that tests the same all-round financial planning knowledge, skills and abilities.
Source: FPSB India — Regular Pathway · Fast Track Pathway
| Regular Pathway | Fast Track Pathway | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Anyone with at least a Class 12 pass — no prior finance qualification needed | Candidates already holding a specified qualification (CA, CFA-USA, CS, CMA, ACCA-UK, a finance-stream full-time MBA/PGDM, or specified postgraduate degrees) plus relevant work experience |
| Minimum experience | Not required to enrol; 3 years unsupervised or 1 year supervisory experience required before certification | At least 3 years of relevant work experience in a financial-planning-related domain |
| Education modules | All three Specialist courses (IPS, RTPS, REPS), then IFP | IFP only — the three Specialist exams are exempted |
| Final exams | Three Specialist course exams, then the Financial Plan Assessment and the CFP® exam | One comprehensive exam covering the same all-round competencies, plus the Financial Plan Assessment and the CFP® exam |
Source: FPSB India — Regular Pathway · Fast Track Pathway
A separate set of Fast Track categories also exists for lapsed CFP® certificants (5 or more years lapsed), candidates who previously passed the CFP® exam (5 or more years ago), active SEBI-registered investment advisers licensed before June 2025, and existing CFP® professionals certified through another FPSB affiliate body — each has its own specific route back into current certification, detailed on FPSB India’s Fast Track page.
The three Specialist modules (IPS, RTPS, REPS)
These are the education modules that make up the Regular Pathway’s core: Investment Planning Specialist, Retirement & Tax Planning Specialist, and Risk & Estate Planning Specialist. FPSB India lists these as the three specialist programs required before a candidate can move on to Integrated Financial Planning. They can typically be taken in any order, though most students start with IPS since it introduces core financial-planning maths (time value of money, asset allocation) used throughout the other two.
Integrated Financial Planning (IFP) — the capstone
IFP is the final education module. It ties the three Specialist subjects together into whole-client financial plans and prepares candidates for the FPSB Financial Plan Assessment and the CFP® certification exam itself — FPSB India’s own materials describe candidates as being able to attempt the CFP® exam and Financial Plan Assessment in either order, within a set window after enrolling in the IFP bundle.
Source: FPSB India — india.fpsb.org/cfp-certification
What each module covers
Here’s a quick map of the four modules to what they cover and where to read the full syllabus on each course page. This is a scan-friendly summary, not the line-by-line FPSB syllabus — HOFP’s own course pages go deeper into each subject’s topic list.
| Module | What it covers | HOFP course page |
|---|---|---|
| Investment Planning Specialist (IPS) | Investment products, portfolio construction, asset allocation, personal financial management | /ips/ |
| Retirement & Tax Planning Specialist (RTPS) | Retirement mathematics and planning, Indian income-tax planning | /rtps/ |
| Risk & Estate Planning Specialist (REPS) | Insurance and risk management, estate and wealth-transfer planning | /reps/ |
| Integrated Financial Planning (IFP) | Full-client case studies integrating all three specialist subjects; prepares for the Financial Plan Assessment and CFP® exam | /ifp/ |
None of these four are optional add-ons to each other — they’re sequential building blocks of one certification. IPS gives you the investment-maths foundation; RTPS and REPS each add a domain (retirement/tax, and risk/estate) on top of that foundation; IFP is where all three get applied together against realistic, whole-client financial-planning scenarios, which is also exactly what the Financial Plan Assessment and the CFP® exam test.
How the course is delivered
FPSB India itself offers two delivery modes at the certification level: Self-Study Mode or Instructor-Led Education Mode, through its network of Authorized Education Providers. HOFP runs a hybrid of the two — recorded practitioner-taught lectures you can watch at your own pace, backed by live doubt-clearing sessions and one-on-one tutor support until you clear each module, rather than a fixed-batch classroom schedule.
Source: FPSB India — india.fpsb.org/cfp-certification
Exams themselves are computer-based on FPSB India’s Mettle platform, and can be taken two ways: online proctored from home, or in person at DEXIT (formerly NSEIT) test centres. Both formats give you access to the financial calculators and spreadsheet functions the exam allows.
Source: FPSB India — india.fpsb.org/new-program-exams
In practice, “self-paced” at HOFP means: watch the recorded lecture for a topic, work through the applied examples and question bank, join a live doubt-clearing session if something doesn’t click, and move to the next topic once you’re comfortable — rather than waiting for a fixed weekly class slot. That structure suits working professionals and MFDs studying around a full-time job as much as it suits full-time students.
Who takes the CFP® course in India
Three broad groups make up most CFP® candidates: students beginning their financial-planning career and starting with IPS as their first Specialist module; practising MFDs and financial advisors who already sell investment products and want the underlying framework and discipline formalised; and bankers or wealth relationship managers who handle client money and want a recognised, credential-track education rather than an internal-only training. None of these three groups needs to pick a different pathway based on background alone — the Regular Pathway works for all of them, and only professionals holding one of the Fast Track’s specified qualifications need to consider that route.
How long it takes
There’s no single fixed duration — it depends on your pace and your pathway. What is fixed is the pass mark: FPSB India requires candidates to score 70% or higher on each Specialist course’s test to move forward. Because HOFP’s course access is self-paced with lifetime access rather than tied to a batch calendar, how long a module takes you is mostly a function of how many hours a week you can put in, not a fixed course length.
Exams run on FPSB India’s own periodic exam calendar, which is published and updated directly on their site — rather than repeat a specific frequency here (which can change), we’d rather send you to the current version: FPSB India’s exams page carries the live calendar. Plan your study pace against whatever window is currently open rather than against a number quoted on a third-party page.
A rough way to think about it: a candidate studying a few hours a week alongside a full-time job will naturally take longer per module than a full-time student who can dedicate several hours a day. Since HOFP’s access doesn’t expire on a batch timetable, there’s no penalty for taking a module slower — the only real deadline in the whole process is whichever FPSB exam window you choose to sit for.
Source: FPSB India — india.fpsb.org/students (70% pass mark)
Related reading:
- CFP® Course Fees in India — what each module costs
- How to Become a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) in India — the step-by-step version of this page
- CFP® vs CFA® vs CA in India — if you’re still choosing between credentials
Not sure where to start? Watch HOFP’s free demo lecture before you commit to a module — no charge, just your name, mobile, email and city.
Watch the free demo lecture →
Or start with the Investment Planning Specialist (IPS) course page →
Frequently asked questions
What does the CFP course in India actually consist of?
Three Specialist modules — Investment Planning Specialist (IPS), Retirement & Tax Planning Specialist (RTPS) and Risk & Estate Planning Specialist (REPS) — followed by the Integrated Financial Planning (IFP) course, which includes the Financial Plan Assessment and the CFP® certification exam. (Source: FPSB India)
What is the CFP course syllabus in India?
Each Specialist module has its own FPSB-set syllabus (IPS: investment products and portfolios; RTPS: retirement and tax planning; REPS: insurance and estate planning), and IFP integrates all three into full financial-plan case studies. HOFP’s individual course pages for IPS, RTPS, REPS and IFP list the topics each one covers.
What is the CFP exam pattern in India?
The CFP® exam is multiple-choice, with four answer options per question and one clearly best answer, run over 3 hours across two sections on FPSB India’s Mettle platform. You can take it online (proctored, from home) or in person at a DEXIT test centre. (Source: FPSB India)
Is the CFP course available online in India?
Yes. FPSB India permits Self-Study or Instructor-Led delivery through its Authorized Education Providers, and HOFP’s own course format is fully online — recorded lectures plus live tutor support — so you don’t need to be in a particular city to study.
Do I need a finance background to start the CFP course?
No. The Regular Pathway’s entry requirement is a Class 12 pass (minimum age 18); the course itself is designed to teach financial-planning concepts from first principles, starting with IPS.
What’s the difference between the Regular Pathway and Fast Track?
Regular Pathway candidates complete all three Specialist exams before IFP. Fast Track is for candidates with qualifying professional credentials (CA, CFA, CS, CMA, ACCA, CAIIB, a finance MBA/PGDM, or specified postgraduate degrees) plus at least three years of relevant work experience — they skip the three Specialist exams and sit one comprehensive exam instead. (Source: FPSB India)
Can I take the CFP course modules in any order?
The three Specialist modules can generally be taken in the order that suits you, though IPS is the common starting point because it introduces the core maths used across RTPS and REPS. IFP comes last, after all three Specialist courses are cleared.
How is the CFP exam different from the Specialist course exams?
Specialist course tests require a 70% or higher score to pass and are taken as you complete each module. The CFP® certification exam is a separate, later, 3-hour exam sat after IFP, alongside the Financial Plan Assessment. (Source: FPSB India)
What happens after I clear all the modules and exams?
You still need to meet FPSB India’s work-experience requirement and complete its ethics course before certification is granted — covered in full on our how to become a CFP page.
Where can I check the current FPSB India exam calendar?
Directly on FPSB India’s own exams page — it’s updated by FPSB itself, so it’s the only reliable source for current dates.