Hours after the Supreme Court disposed of a writ petition filed by some candidates and others raising concerns on the November CA examinations, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India said these apprehensions were baseless and that the Standard Operating Procedures put out by the government are being observed fully. 

The Institute also said that online examinations are not possible as the subjects are descriptive in nature. The examinations are scheduled to be held from November 21 to December 14 (Foundation, Intermediate and Final). The ICAI had cancelled the May exams due to Covid-induced lockdown since March 25.

Concerns, demands

In a statement, the ICAI said the Supreme Court was satisfied that the concerns of the petitioners were either unfounded or were addressed by the Institute and thereafter disposed of the writ petition.

The concerns and demands included: certain examination centres were falling in the containment zones or were declared as a Covid-care facility; isolation rooms be provided at 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 made sure that the examination centres did not fall in any containment zoneor were declared as Covid-care facilities.

 As regards isolation rooms, the SC was informed that this is neither possible nor desirable in the larger interest of everyone to allow persons showing Covid symptoms to enter the examination centres. 

No extra time

As for giving extra time for writing the examination, it was clarified that it being a professional examination, no extra time should be provided as the question papers are set to the time required to answer them. 

As regards the demand to treat e-admit cards as e-passes, the court was informed that this issue came within the domain of the Home Ministry and that the Institute would try to persuade the MHA to agree to treat e-admit cards as e-passes for free movement of candidates. The Institute also said that online examinations are not possible as the subjects are descriptive in nature. 

Meanwhile, several students and observers took to social media platforms to express their angst at the ICAI plan to go ahead with the conduct of examinations in the t physical mode during the current pandemic times.

“ICAI is still adamant in conducting offline exams, for 18 days, where other institutes have cancelled/moved online. Examination centres include bakery, cyber cafe, construction sites, we have evidence for that. Nobody is hearing us. There is no reply to our concerns”, tweeted @Ankush40532375.

 

 

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