The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India or ICAI, the professional body which regulates the Chartered Accountants (CA) exams in the country, has decided to cancel May 2020 examinations and merge the May 2020 attempt with November 2020 examinations. The Institute said in an announcement that the CA aspirants who had registered for the May exams will be able avail due carryover of all benefits already available to students including fee paid and exemptions. The CA May exams were postponed in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak and was later scheduled to be held in July and August.
The ICAI's announcement comes in the backdrop of the Institute informing the Supreme Court on Thursday that it would assess the feasibility of conducting CA exams, scheduled between July 29 and August 16, in view of the spike in number of COVID-19 cases across the country and consult states and examination centres on this issue.
The top court was hearing through video conferencing a plea which has challenged the 'opt out' option provided by the ICAI to the candidates alleging that it "arbitrarily" discriminates between the aspirants in the May cycle of CA examination. The court, after hearing the submissions, said it would hear the matter on July 10. On June 29, the top court had observed that ICAI should be flexible in conducting exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic and take care of candidates' concerns.
“Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India vide its Guidelines dated 29th June 2020 has extended the closure of all schools & academic Institutions and academic congregations till 31st July 2020. Select State Governments have put extended prohibitions in their respective States. Post the said Notification dated 29th June 2020, many Schools/ Academic Institutions have expressed their inability to provide their premises to conduct the Examinations,” the Institute said in a statement.
The students who have made application for May 2020 examinations will have an option to change the groups of their appearance and centre of examinations at the time of making a fresh application for November 2020 Examinations, the ICAI said.
The November exams, “subject to conditions prevailing at relevant time”, will start from November 1, according to the Institute.
“It is again clarified that in this schema, the students will be free to exercise the options afresh for the groups that they intend to appear in the November 2020 examinations,” the stateement added.
