Students file case in Supreme Court against opt out scheme: CA exams

A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking more centres and a stay on the 'opt-out' scheme for about 4.67 lakh CA aspirants for examination to be conducted between July 29 and August 16 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petition, which is scheduled to come up for hearing in the coming days, claimed that the the notification issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on June 15 violates the fundamental rights of the students.

The PIL, recorded by Alakh Alok Srivastava for the benefit of 'India Wide Parents Association', said that ICAI reported it will direct the May 2020 cycle Chartered Accountants assessment between July 29 to August 16. 

"Presently it has advised a profoundly prejudicial and self-assertive 'quit' option...," including the ICAI has informed that for the understudies who pick this alternative, their endeavor (May 2020) will be treated as dropped or not tallied. 

"The 'quit' alternative separates between those underprivilieged gathering of CA understudies/wannabes, who are living in



remote territories of the nation or living in the control zones and in this manner are scheduled to free one valuable 'assessment endeavor' by picking 'quit' choice in the midst of progressing COVID-19 pandemic, when contrasted with that advantaged gathering of understudies/hopefuls, who are living in large urban communities/green zones and accordingly they have no issue in showing up in the said assessment," it said.

Student who choose opt-out will be deprived of the May 2020 attempt, as compared to other group of students who go in for 'opt-in' option. 

“Hence, the petitioner is praying this court to forthwith quash and set aside the aforesaid Important Announcement dated June 15," it said.

It further sought an increase in the number of examination centres so as to ensure that at least one examination centre is kept in every district of India.

It said that there are about 4.67 lakh aspirants, who are scheduled to appear in the examinations, at about 259 examination centres in India and five centres overseas.