Be flexible with those who fail to appear in exams: SC to ICAI
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 29
Amid worrying Covid-19 situation, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to be flexible and consider treating candidates unable to appear in CA examinations scheduled between July 29 and August 16 as ‘opt out’ candidates.
If a candidate, who didn’t opt out, was unable to appear in the examination due to the Covid-19 situation, he/she should be given the same benefit as provided to those who opted out, a Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar said.
“Even if a candidate has not chosen the ‘opt out’ option and he suddenly comes under a containment zone, what will you do? You should treat candidates who do not appear as opt out cases,” the Bench said.
The ICAI should be flexible in conducting examinations during pandemic and take into account concerns of candidates.
The option for change in the examination centre should be made available to the aspirants till the last week before the scheduled examinations, it suggested.
The ICAI’s counsel said he would place before the court a draft notification to address the concerns of candidates.
The Bench posted the matter for hearing on July 2 and said the ICAI should also keep in mind MHA guidelines with regard to exams to be conducted by different boards such as CBSE. The top court was hearing a petition challenging the ‘opt out’ option, alleging it was “arbitrarily” and discriminated between the aspirants in the May cycle of CA examinations.
