The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is against the cancellation of the ICAI CA exams scheduled from July 5. In the Supreme Court hearing today, the institute said that the CA exams cannot be “postponed or deferred” as Covid cases across the country have decreased substantially and it is the right time to conduct the exam for those aspiring to be CAs.
The institute in its note to the top court said that the CA exams are professional and cannot be compared with board exams including CBSE and therefore cannot be deferred or cancelled in the interest of the CA aspirants.
The apex court will hear the plea on ICAI CA aspirants' seeking extra attempt and opt-out option for all the CA examinees tomorrow. ICAI Lawyer Ramji Srinivasan said a note has been circulated on the stand of the institution, but Judges said they did not receive it and therefore has adjourned the case to tomorrow.
Advocate Meenakshi Arora told the Supreme Court of India that ICAI has changed many centres unilaterally and wanted the institute to respond to this in tomorrow's hearing.
The CA aspirants petition had asked the Supreme Court's direction to the ICAI to include an opt-out facility in the CA May session examination, allowing students to carry forward their candidature to the next sessions of these exams. The plea in the Supreme Court had also prayed for an extra attempt to Intermediate and Final year students appearing under the old syllabus and increase in the number of CA exam centres. It said there should be “at least one examination centre in every district in India” and the exams should be held in a staggered manner.
CA Final, Inter, IPC and PQC exams are scheduled between July 5 and July 20, 2021, and the CA Foundation exams from July 24 to July 30.