Supreme Court in favour of CA exams from July 5

The bench asked the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to prepare a standard operating procedure giving students with Covid an opt-out option

The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated to allow in-person Chartered Accountant (CA) examinations scheduled to commence from July 5.

A bench presided over by Justice A M Khanwilkar asked the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to prepare a standard operating procedure giving students with Covid an opt-out option.

The bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Aniruddha Bose, told the ICAI to present a note incorporating the suggestions.

The bench said it will pass orders on the petitions connected with the CA exams after perusing the note. It put the matter for consideration on Wednesday.

The bench said in principle it agreed that CA exams can be held from July 5. The court asked ICAI to consider its suggestions for granting a chance to candidates to opt for a centre of his or her choice.

ICAI counsel submitted students appearing for the examinations will be given another opportunity if they face difficulties to take the exam due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Senior advocate Ramji Srinivasan, representing the ICAI, submitted the ICAI had given opt-out option to students who were down with Covid-19 and the chief medical officer can issue a certificate for the students.

Hearing a batch of petitions for cancelling or postponing the exam, the top court asked ICAI to come up with a policy where a competent authority can issue a certificate explaining why a Covid-19 positive student cannot appear for the upcoming CA examination.

Senior advocate Meenakshi Arora, representing the petitioners, cited issues associated with obtaining RT-PCR positive test reports for students who could not write exams due to Covid.

She added that students who live in containment zones may not be able to take the RT-PCR tests and ICAI should examine these problems faced by students. Arora submitted the July exams schedule is the last opportunity to appear as per the old syllabus.

The bench noted that persons who recover from Covid, may have long term problems and they may not be able to appear in exams. "General policy may be adopted where an authorised agency can certify that he is not able to appear in exam," the bench added.

"RT-PCR test is no test. Some negative persons were actually positive. Evolve a policy that one can certify why one could not appear," the bench said.