ICAI CA Exams 2021: Supreme Court bench heading by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar today, on Monday deferred the hearing on a plea seeking relief for the students appearing in CA July 2021 exams. Supreme Court asked the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to respond by tomorrow on suggestions made through these pleas demanding changes in the Opt-out scheme, additional attempt, & vaccination of students, among others.
The plea, filed by Advocate Anubha Shrivastava Sahai was heard today in Supreme Court by a three-judge Bench of Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Aniruddha Bose. The plea sought the top court’s direction for an opt-out scheme, extra attempt, vaccination and increased exam centres for the ICAI CA exams scheduled to begin from July 5.
The Institute has been alleged of unilaterally changing the exam centres and barriers in the opt-out scheme, by the petitioners. Here’re the three demands that aspirants make before the Supreme Court:
1) The petitioner are seeking options within the designated examination centres. CA aspirants have sought an increase in the number of examination centres, restricting a total of 50 students at one centre.
2) Another demand that aspirants are making is openness in the opt-out facility. Under the guidelines released by the ICAI, it is made compulsory for the students to carry a COVID-19 positive report to opt-out for the July 2021 session exams.
3) Covid vaccination before offline exams: A plea filed by the aspirants requests the court to give directions to ICAI to conduct mandatory free COVID-19 tests of all the students, teachers, invigilators and staff who will be deployed at exam centres. Further, it sought vaccination for all of them as well.
Should Read: ICAI CA Exams 2021: Supreme Court Hearing on CA July 2021 Exam- Details
ICAI in its defence said that a majority of students are ready to take exams as per its schedule. Giving reference to a data of downloading CA July Exam admit cards, ICAI said that out of 3,74,230 candidates, more than 2,82,000 candidates have downloaded their admit cards, and this is showing they are eager to appear for the July exams.
“It is understandable that some of the candidates would have inhibitions in appearing for the exams, but that can not be allowed to jeopardize the aspirations of a majority of the candidates,” ICAI added in its statement.
ICAI responding to the queries said that it has a statutory duty to hold Professional Examinations. “Most conducive time to hold exam is now. Present Covid situation is similar to when this Hon’ble Court allowed ICAI to hold exams in Nov 2020.”
According to the aspirants, in today’s hearing, it was observed that the top court is not delivering any order regarding the postponement of CA exams. However, a clear picture is expected to appear on Tuesday, June 29.
