New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined a plea to reschedule the Chartered Accountant (CA) exams conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), which coincides closely with the Lok Sabha election dates in several states.
A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, stated that any alteration in the exam schedule could significantly disrupt the extensive preparations already in place and could potentially harm other students. Follow full coverage of the Lok Sabha elections here.
The exams are scheduled to be held from May 2 to May 17, with specific concerns raised about the exam dates on May 8 and May 14 due to proximate election activities on May 7 and May 13.
Voting for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections will begin on May 7. The first phase took place on April 19 across 102 constituencies. The second phase was held on April 26 in 89 constituencies
“The scheduling of exams is a matter of policy decisions. Despite considering the importance of the right to vote, the established schedule avoids election dates, and any adjustments now could gravely prejudice the over 4 lakh students enrolled,” said the bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
{{/usCountry}}“The scheduling of exams is a matter of policy decisions. Despite considering the importance of the right to vote, the established schedule avoids election dates, and any adjustments now could gravely prejudice the over 4 lakh students enrolled,” said the bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
{{/usCountry}}Senior advocate Madhavi Divan, representing some of the CA aspirants, argued that students from remote areas like Kalahandi might face challenges in appearing for exams scheduled immediately after the election days.
She proposed not a wholesale postponement but suggested providing an “opt-out” option for students adversely affected by the schedule or alternatively, increasing the number of exam centres.
“Students from regions requiring extensive travel, especially where public transport is affected by security measures during elections, are at a disadvantage. An opt-out option or more centres could mitigate this,” Divan argued.
However, senior counsel Ramji Srinivasan, appearing for the ICAI, opposed any delay or modification to the exam timetable, highlighting the logistical efforts already undertaken, including ensuring that exam dates do not overlap with polling days.
“Adjustments have been made where necessary, with changes to centres for around 3,700 candidates who flagged issues, ensuring no clash with election dates,” Srinivasan added.
Ultimately, the top court found favour with the ICAI’s submissions, affirming that the current arrangements do not warrant judicial intervention. “The ICAI has demonstrated a careful balance of the exam schedule with the electoral dates. This is not a scenario that necessitates our interference,” held the bench, dismissing the appeal against a judgment by the Delhi high court in the matter earlier this month.