It did used to be called an ARB paper and you could take it without paying for an approved course but, since we've been forced into the ludicrous JAR fiasco, papers are now written and administered by the TRTOs. The CAA still approves the papers as part of the overall approval of the TRTO.. .. .To answer the second part of your question, CAP 682 says that the TRTO course is designed to be completed full time. If there is a break of 6 months or more, the whole thing must be started again. By that token, I suppose, the validity of the exam is six months