The Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea seeking the postponement of the Chartered Accountancy ( CA ) Intermediate and Final Examinations amidst concerns over the potential clashes with the upcoming Lok Sabha General Elections. The court ruled against rescheduling the exams, emphasising the need to maintain the integrity of the examination schedule despite individual hardships faced by some candidates.
The petition, filed by a group of candidates including Harish Chandar T and others, represented by Mr. Alakh Alok Srivastava, Mr. Rishabh Bafna and Ms. Anubha Shrivastava Sahai sought either the postponement of the exams to the second week of June 2024 or, alternatively, allowing candidates unable to appear for specific papers during the election period to only repeat those papers rather than the entire examination.
The petitioners raised several arguments to support their plea, including concerns over the potential impact of election-related chaos on candidates’ ability to travel to exam centers, the availability of accommodation and disturbances affecting their preparation. They also cited past instances of exam postponements during similar circumstances and invoked constitutional rights such as the right to vote (Article 326), equality (Article 14), life (Article 21), and the right to practice a profession (Article 19(1)(g)).
However, the single bench of Mr. Justice C. Hari Shankar, found the petition lacking in merit and hence dismissed the same.
The bench noted that the exam schedule had been carefully planned by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India ( ICAI ) to avoid conflicts with election dates. It pointed out that no exams were scheduled on days when elections were held or the day before, allowing candidates the opportunity to vote and attend exams.
The court also highlighted the proactive measures taken by the exam authorities, including providing a window for candidates to relocate exam centers closer to their hometowns or polling locations.
The bench emphasised that individual hardships faced by some candidates could not justify disrupting the entire examination process, which involved over 4,36,000 candidates.
The court stressed the need to maintain the integrity of the examination schedule and rejected comparisons with past situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, asserting that elections did not pose a similar threat to public health and safety.
In conclusion, the court dismissed the petition, stating that it lacked substance and could not interfere with the established rules of the examinations. It affirmed that conducting the Lok Sabha elections did not constitute grounds for postponing the CA exams and upheld the importance of adhering to the exam schedule.
The court held that the scheduling ensured no clash with election dates, and individual inconveniences could not justify disrupting exams for over 4 lakh candidates, citing a lack of substantial grounds.
It ruled that the scheduling accounted for election dates and individual inconveniences were not sufficient grounds to disrupt exams for over 4 lakh candidates.
The judgment signifies that national-level examinations must proceed as scheduled barring exceptional circumstances, ensuring fairness and efficiency in the evaluation process. Despite concerns raised by petitioners, the Delhi High upholds the integrity of academic assessments amidst external challenges.
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