Overview

• The CAG will finalise its list of empanelled chartered accountancy firms by July to conduct audits of autonomous, local and other bodies from July 2025 through March 2027.
• About 350 central autonomous bodies have been earmarked for these audits, with external experts deployed across 30 locations nationwide.
• Chartered accountants will work under field officers from the Indian Audit and Accounts Department while the CAG retains ultimate responsibility for audit findings and outputs.
• Officials say the move will free up in-house resources and enable broader compliance and performance audits across public sector enterprises and local bodies.
• Alongside empanelment, the CAG is ramping up internal capacity with training in AI, big-data analytics and cybersecurity even as some MPs warn the use of external firms could dilute audit independence.