ICAI in News- Mumbai Mirror: ‘ICAI taking best possible steps for the safety of students’
By Satish Nandgaonkar / Updated: Dec 1, 2020, 23:51 IST
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) President Atul Kumar Gupta talks to Mumbai Mirror about the unique challenges of organising the CA exams at centres across India in the midst of the pandemic.
The CA exams are on Day 11, and how challenging has it been for ICAI to organise an exam of this scale across the country in the midst of a pandemic?
It is true that organising of physical exams in the midst of pandemic and at the same time ensuring the safety and health of all is big challenge. The Institute has overcome it by doubling of the number of cities including examination centres so that due social distancing can be maintained and students have to travel minimum distance to undertake their examinations.
ICAI, being the sole regulator of accountancy profession in India, has always undertaken various initiatives keeping the interest of its students as topmost priority. This time, ICAI examinations started from 21st November 2020 at more than 1085 examination centres at global level.
ICAI has increased the examinations centres from 505 planned for May 2020 exam to 1085 for November 2020 examination covering additional 200 cities in the country. This was done to facilitate candidates to not travel beyond their district to the extent possible to reach the examination centre.
ICAI has also implemented adequate social distancing measures in current scenario of Covid19 to ensure health and safety of our candidates. Adequate measures are being taken for the safety of all without compromising the high standards, sanctity and fairness in the conduct of the examination.
ICAI 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. Also, clarification has been obtained from the concerned examination centres and none of them were declared as COVID-care facilities. Further, detailed guidelines have been issued for the various exam functionaries.
While understanding the impact of COVID-19 Pandemic, ICAI has already announced that a separate examination will also be conducted from January 21, 2021 besides May 2021 examination.
Examination centres have been empowered and provided financial support to make arrangements for sanitisation and ensure availability of additional masks, sanitisers, etc. We have also ensured deployment of police personnel, security guards to maintain social distancing.
How has ICAI tweaked its logistics to facilitate this exam in the last 11 days and what kind of changes you had to make looking at on the ground impediments.
For the first time for the benefit of students, the “Opt Out” option has been provided to the students who are suffering from COVID-19 or having symptoms of diseases from November 7, 2020, on self-declaration basis and this option shall continue in operation during the conduct of entire November 2020 examinations. The scheme shall also be applicable to
Centres or place of residence of student, which turns out to be the containment zone during the exam dates. They will be allowed to carry forward their candidature with due carry over of all benefits already available to students including fee paid and exemptions for next
examination, that is May 2021 examination cycle.
How has the response from students been? Has it reduced the initial apprehensions they expressed initially now?
Based on the feedback received so far, students in general are very appreciative of the arrangements being made by the ICAI at the examination centres and on the first day itself whatever apprehensions they may be having due to negative campaign on social media have
been removed. ICAI is undertaking all the best possible steps for the safety & security of the students as they are the future torchbearers of the profession.
How has ICAI coped with different logistical problems in different states – curfew in Ahmedabad, Cyclone Nivar in Tamil Nadu and southern coastal states, restrictions in states like Delhi due to rising corona cases.
As soon as curfew was imposed in Ahmedabad, we have approached government functionaries, which for the benefit of the students, allowed admit card issued by the ICAI as e-pass for travel of examination purposes.
Further, for the Cyclone Nivar in Tamil Nadu and southern coastal states, after assessing the situation and discussion with exam centres, we have postponed the exams and announced the next date of exam. Students were informed through mail, SMS and announcement hosted on website and social media.
ICAI had given the Opt Out option to students apprehensive of their safety. What percentage of students have exercised the option?
As we informed earlier, the Opt Out option will be continue in operation during the conduct of entire November 2020 Examinations. So it would not be appropriate to inform percentage of students as of now.
