Clarification: No one will lose opportunity to attend ICAI 2021 exams

Responding to a plea by the students at the Supreme Court, ICAI tells students who opted out of exams in July can reappear in November and it won't be treated as a second attempt

New Delhi:Students, who missed the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) examination in July due to the second wave of Covid-19, will be able to reappear in November, clarified the accounting body on Thursday.

Responding to a plea by the students at the Supreme Court on Thursday, the ICAI said, "No one will lose the opportunity."

A bench comprising Justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice CT Ravikumar was hearing the plea.

ICAI also assured the students that it won't be treated as a second attempt. The professional body also brushed aside the students' qualms over the loss of attempts due to the reappearance in the examination.

The petitioners had contended that ICAI's move to make the students appear in the 'next cycle' in November would reduce their eligible number of attempts in the highly competitive examination.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who appeared for the students before the court, argued that the syllabus for the new cycle would be different and students would face difficulty and lose their one attempt.

Observing that it would not want to "disturb the ICAI's examination cycle," the Supreme Court told the accounting body to consider holding an additional exam with the old syllabus. Senior Advocate Ramji Srinivasan appearing for the ICAI told the court that holding a separate exam created some issues last year and hence decided on keeping the backup exam during the regular cycle only.

ICAI assured the court that a decision will be taken considering the interest of the candidates. The apex court asked the students to make a representation before ICAI and disposed of their plea.