ICIA CA Exam 2021: Supreme Court modifies opt-out scheme

SC directs ICAI to provide opt out facility to candidates whose centre is changed at the last minute even if the change of centre happens within a city.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to modify opt out facility provided to the students for the exam beginning on July 5.

The top court directed ICAI to provide opt out facility to even those candidates whose centre was changed at the last minute even if the changed centre is in the same city. ICAI was earlier offering opt out facility only to candidates if inter-city change of centres had taken place.

The top court further said that candidates who themselves or their family members were infected due to COVID and could not prepare or appear for exam due to this reason will not necessarily be required to produce RT-PCR test to avail opt-out option. Even medical certificate by a registered medical practitioner will suffice.

A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Aniruddha Bose were hearing the three pleas filed by child rights activist Anubha Shrivastava Sahai, 22 candidates led by Sathya Narayan Perumal, and 17 candidates led by Amit Jain.

Around 3.74 lakh students have registered for the chartered accountancy (CA) examinations.

(with inputs from Abraham Thomas in New Delhi)