While the Supreme Court is all set to hear a petition that seeks the postponement of the CA exams, scheduled to be held in July with an opt-out option, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India has submitted a note, explaining why they would want to go ahead with the exams on the scheduled date. The body says that this the best time to conduct the exams, considering that the number of COVID cases in the country has come down drastically and that the exams should not be equated with the Class X and XII exams.
The plea was filed by Mumbai-based lawyer Anubha Shrivastava Sahai. "It is in the interest of candidates aspiring to be Chartered Accountants, start their professional lives and earn livelihoods, that the examination be held," says the statement. "The third wave of COVID is only expected by September-October," says the institute, adding, it is scheduled in a way that that it does not overlap with the ICSI and ICWAI examinations. It also says that the exams were originally scheduled to be held in May and were postponed, owing to the second wave.
While the ICAI assures that it will follow all COVID SOPs, it says that last year, the exam was held in November, when India recorded almost the same number of COVID cases as now. With respect to the writ petition, the body notes that the hearing was allowed only a week before the exam's date. "The same appears to be motivated and designed to disrupt the large-scale exams for which all preparations have been made after meticulous planning," says the ICAI.
Additionally, it says that it has increased the number of exam centres and plans to conduct re-examinations at places under lockdown. It also says that it will allow an opt-out option for students who are tested positive or were living with COVID-positive family members.
