SC asks ICAI to revise scheme for CA exams

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to revise its scheme for conducting examinations for the Chartered Accountant course between July 29 and August 16.

The court suggested ICAI to give the candidates an option to choose centres in the middle of examinations and go for opt-out schemes till the last moment, in view of the uncertainty prevailing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna asked the ICAI to bring out a fresh notification, also mandating adherence to safety guidelines by the Ministry of Home Affairs, and posted the matter for consideration on July 2.

The top court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, on behalf of Anubha Shrivastava Sahai, who wanted setting up more exam centres and stay on 'opt-out scheme' and taking up more measures in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the hearing, the court told the counsel, appearing for the ICAI, that it was a professional body and must take care of its candidates.

The court said as the situation was still evolving, a candidate, unable to appear for the examination, should be considered under the opt-out scheme, even if he or she did not choose it.

A student can suddenly come under a containment zone, so he or she should be considered under this opt-out scheme, it said.

Senior advocate Ramji Srinivasan, appearing for the ICAI, submitted the Standard Operating Procedure has been put in place, allowing the authorities to shift the centre in case it fell under the containment zone.

The court said the option of change of Centre should be extended to all to avoid extensive travel.

The ICAI fixed June 29 as the last date for candidates to go for the opt-out scheme.

Out of 3.46 Iakh candidates, who applied for appearing in the May 2020 cycle of the examinations, only 57,092 candidates have availed the opt-out option so far.

The May 2020 examinations were earlier scheduled to be held between May 2 and may 18, 2020 in about 500 centres in 207 cities in India and five overseas centres. However, due to the extension of lockdown, the examinations have now been rescheduled to take place between July 29 and August 16.