Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Accounting Curriculum in India - An Empirical Study

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has announced its decision to adopt IFRS in India with effect from 1 April, 2011. The standards will have a significant impact on capital markets but students and investors know remarkably little about these standards. Many European countries shifted to IFRS as early as 2005. They are ahead of India in including IFRS in the curriculum for students. An understanding of Indian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and IFRS standards is an urgent need for today's students. Therefore, by investigating the perception of IFRS among Indian management students, this study aims to assess the level of planning for adopting the standards and also assist management schools and universities with decisions regarding adopting IFRS in Indian Accounting curriculum. According to the empirical results of the study, the adoption of IFRS mainly depends on the need and interest among students to understand the subject. If students are knowledgeable about the positive impact of the course, they are more likely to take these courses when management colleges or universities offer them. Further, successful integration to the course also depends upon efficient training of instructors, use of appropriate pedagogy and availability of relevant reading materials. (C) 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Global Science and Technology Forum