The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on Friday announced that it will not postpone the 2020 CA examination any longer.
The exams will be held from November 2, as decided previously and the candidates were assured that the November 2020 CA Examinations will be held as scheduled in a safe atmosphere.
This press release or announcement is being issued in compliance with the directions of the Supreme court on November 4, 2020 in the writ petition to clarify the position to all candidates and to allay their apprehensions.
“Therefore, the apprehensions expressed in the Writ Petition are without any basis, inasmuch as the Guidelines issued by ICAI and the SOPs evolved by the Government of India for holding examinations, etc. will be observed in all respects,” the Supreme Court while disposing of the petition said.
The ICAI said that some candidates and others had filed Writ Petitions before the Supreme Court raising certain concerns with respect to the November 2020 CA Examinations. The said concerns were examined by ICAI and the Supreme Court was informed about each of them.
The Supreme Court was satisfied that the concerns of the petitioners were either unfounded or were suitably addressed by ICAI, and as such Writ Petition was disposed of vide Order dated November 4, 2020.
The alleged concerns raised in the Writ Petition were that certain examination centres were falling in the containment zones or were declared as a covid-care facility; isolation rooms be provided at the examination centres, in case a candidate starts showing covid symptoms; extra time for writing the examination be provided; and e-admit cards be treated as e-passes for free movement of the candidates.
The ICAI informed the Court that it had verified the position from the concerned examination centres and was informed by the said examination centres that they are not falling in any containment zones.
The Court was also informed that clarification had been obtained from the concerned examination centres and none of them were declared as covid-care facilities. As regards requests for isolation rooms, the Court was informed that this is neither possible nor desirable in the larger interest of other candidates, staff etc. to allow persons showing covid symptoms to enter the examination centres.
Regarding Extra time to be provided for writing examination, it was clarified that it being a professional examination, no extra time should be provided as the question papers are set as per the time required to answer the same.
As regards the demand of the petitioners to treat e-admit cards as e-passes is concerned, it was informed that this issue is within the domain of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and that the Institute will make an endeavor to persuade the Ministry of Home Affairs to agree for treating e-admit cards as e-passes for free movement of the candidates.
The Supreme Court being satisfied with the clarifications given by the ICAI and as such disposed of the Writ Petition said, “ICAI is committed to conduct the examinations in a safe and secure environment by observing necessary guidelines issued by the Government like maintaining social distance between candidates, sanitization of the premises, checking the temperature of the candidates.”
