National, 19 January 2026 – Simandhar Education, a leading India-based provider of global accounting and finance certifications, and EThames Business School, Hyderabad, ranked 7th in South India, have signed a strategic academic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate the U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Enrolled Agent (EA) pathways into EThames’ B.Com, BBA and allied undergraduate programs. The partnership enables students to pursue globally recognised U.S based accounting and taxation credentials alongside their undergraduate degree.
This collaboration marks the first time a business school in Hyderabad has formally embedded CPA and EA preparation within an undergraduate academic framework, allowing students to engage with international accounting and taxation content during their degree years. The integrated model is designed to run alongside existing undergraduate studies and provide structured exposure to the U.S.-based professional certification pathways.
The partnership addresses a long-standing gap in India’s undergraduate commerce education, where many students complete their degrees with limited exposure to international accounting standards and global taxation frameworks. By aligning CPA and EA coursework with the existing B.Com and BBA curriculum, the program allows students to engage with international frameworks during their undergraduate studies rather than after completion.
Sripal Jain,CA/US CPA, Co-Founder, Simandhar Education, Sripal Jain, CA, US CPA, Co-Founder, Simandhar Education, said the partnership with EThames Business School reflects a fundamental shift in how finance careers are being built in the AI era. “Automation is rapidly changing entry-level accounting roles, and degrees alone are no longer sufficient. Through this partnership with EThames, we are bringing globally benchmarked CPA and EA pathways directly into undergraduate education, allowing students to align academic learning with real-world global finance requirements. Global employers today look for professionals who combine strong academic foundations with international certifications and technology readiness. By integrating these pathways at the undergraduate level, students graduate with skills that are relevant, portable and valued across global finance ecosystems, while gaining clarity and direction much earlier in their careers,” he said.
Under the MoU, students will receive integrated academic support, structured mentoring, and exam preparation aligned with CPA and EA requirements, along with academic advising related to professional certification pathways. The initiative is designed to support students who are interested in pursuing careers in areas such as accounting, taxation, financial reporting and related professional services.
Speaking on the partnership, Kali Prasad Gadiraju, Chairman EThames Business School, said, “This collaboration reflects our commitment to offering education that goes beyond conventional degree structures. By integrating globally recognised accounting pathways into our undergraduate programs, we are enabling students to build international career readiness alongside their academic journey and respond to the evolving expectations of global employers.”
The MoU signing ceremony was held at the EThames Hyderabad campus in the presence of leadership teams from both institutions. As part of the collaboration, students will have access to Simandhar’s learning resources, faculty-led training and mentoring support. The initiative also aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by strengthening skill integration and industry–academia collaboration at the undergraduate level.
