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KASNEB noted that the new revised structure would take effect from the April 2026 exams.

Kenya Accountants and Secretaries National Examinations Board (KASNEB) has announced that it has done away with optional questions in its exam structure.

In a notice published on Monday, March 2, KASNEB CEO Prof Nicholas Kipleting' explained that the question papers will have five questions, which will all be compulsory.

"All examination question papers at the Professional Levels will consist of five (5) compulsory questions. Candidates will be required to answer all five (5) questions.

"The marks allocated to each question will be clearly indicated at the end of each question. The duration of each examination session will remain three (3) hours. There will be no optional questions under the revised structure," Kipleting' wrote.

KASNEB noted that the new revised structure would take effect from the April 2026 examinations.

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PHOTO | COURTESY A photo of the notice issued by KASNEB on March 1, 2026

The new changes will only affect students taking Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Secretaries (CS), Certified Investment and Financial Analysts (CIFA), Certified Credit Professionals (CCP), and Certified Quality Professional (CQP) exams.

"Kindly note that the structure for Certificate, Diploma and Post-Professional qualifications remains unchanged," the statement read in part.

The examination body explained that the exam structure had been reviewed as part of a continuous improvement initiative.

"The revision is intended to enhance fairness, consistency and comparability of examination papers. It will also align the examination structure with best practice in professional assessment," KASNEB disclosed.

Kipleting' urged students to familiarise themselves with the revised structure in preparation for the April 2026 examinations and subsequent sittings.

KASNEB further advised students to practice time management to ensure they effectively attempt all the five compulsory questions within the three-hour duration.

The exam body has also made sample exam pilot papers for the affected students on the KASNEB e-Library.

Kipleting' reitertaed KASNEB's commitment to maintaining high standards in the administration of professional examinations and continuous quality improvement of the assessment process.