The Hindu Business Line : ICAI moots new curriculum

THE Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has come out with changes in the curriculum of the chartered accountancy course. When they come into force, a student could finish the course in four years compared with five years and three months now.

The recommendations of the `Committee on Reviewing Education and Training' will let a student take up the first level examination (the Professional Competence Examination that corresponds with the existing `PE-2'), after getting some practical training under an articleship programme. At present, students get into articleship after passing PE-2.

The Committee's recommendations will have to be approved first by the Department of Company Affairs and then by Parliament, before they come into force, Mr T.N. Manoharan, Vice-President, ICAI, told a press conference here on Monday

The Committee has also recommended allowing students who have passed the 10th standard to enrol themselves with the Institute and get a feel of the course, so that they could make an informed decision on whether or not to pursue accountancy for a career.

The student who has thus enrolled himself could take the `Common Proficiency Test' after appearing for the `Plus-two' examination. The CPT will be held in May and November every year, but the ICAI is working on the modalities of holding the test every quarter.

After passing the CPT, the student may go in straight for the three-and-a-half-year practical training (articleship). After 18 months of articleship, the student may take the `Professional Competence Examination.' Then, after completion of three-and-a-half years of articleship, he could take the final exams.

The committee has also recommended a slash in the number of hours of IT training from 250 to 100. Also, the mandatory, 15-day General Management and Communications Skills module could be taken after the PCE, before the student appears for the final test.

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