The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) will now be conducting the CA Foundation and Inter exams thrice a year, instead of the usual two attempts. Following the May exams, the institute is probably going to alter the schedule starting this year.
The CA Final exam will initially stick to the conventional biannual structure while the Foundation and Intermediate levels will test this new exam pattern in a pilot program.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India’s Central Council recently met and made this resolution (ICAI).
“We are starting with Foundation and Inter for now, and thrice a year. We also plan on extending it to four attempts in a year, depending on the response we receive from this trial run,” Dhiraj Khandelwal, Central Council Member (CCM) of ICAI told media.
If a student is ready for exams after November, then the student will not have to wait till May or June and will have another attempt in February. Similarly, if a student is unhappy with their February result and wants to re-appear for the exam, then they will be able to do so in November, Khandelwal explained. Appearing for one, two, or all attempts will be a candidate’s choice, he further said.
The institute is making this adjustment in an effort to relieve some of the strain on prospective CAs, guarantee that students won’t have to wait around for a long time, and increase their prospects of taking the CA exam. The ICAI is attempting to emulate a number of foreign accounting associations, including ACCA, which holds examinations three or four times annually.
Students are concerned about the May examinations that are coming up and how they might conflict with the general elections. The announcement that the CA exams would be postponed has gone viral on social media, but the ICAI has called the rumors “fake.”
“We have not taken any such decision as of now, because the election dates have not been announced yet so students should not pay heed to any such fake news being circulated. Once the dates are announced, we will make a decision within a week and let students know. If exam dates clash with election dates in certain states or for limited subjects, then exam dates will only be revised for those selected subjects or states. But if a lot of exams are clashing with elections, then we will accordingly take a decision,” Khandelwal stated.
Source:IE