Some have alleged that their centers are in a deplorable state, raising questions about the sanitation of the site during the pandemic. Some of the students have been seeking postponement of the exams, as they will have to visit their centers for four to eight days, unlike other public exams, which are a one-day affair.
The exams are scheduled just after Diwali, when there are fears of a spike in Covid-19 cases, the students say. About 4.7 million students have registered for the November exams.
A student assigned to a center in the eastern suburbs said his condition was questionable. “I was planning to take the final exam in both groups. But now, in fear of an increase in cases after Diwali, I have decided to exclude myself. Looking at the center, I am not sure if they will follow the sanitation protocol in all seriousness, “said the student.
Some students have moved to the Supreme Court claiming that the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has not taken adequate measures to carry out the examinations during the pandemic. Students from other regions of the country also claimed that the test centers were not verified prior to assignment. The Institute issued a notification indicating that all the centers were in recognized institutions.
ICAI President Atul Gupta said they had issued standard operating procedures for the exams. He said the number of centers had also increased this time from 500 to 1,100. “Before we had 24 students in each class. We have cut it in half. On average, each center has about 140 students only. We have also had problems related to the center in the past, but we have fixed it before the exams. There will be some last minute challenges, but we are equipped to handle them. If students have any complaints, they can write to us. They can also choose not to participate in this session and take it later, ”said Gupta.
He said the institute had opened a complaint window on Nov. 2, and 1,500 students had written to him so far and fewer than 200 complaints were about centers.
JK Shah, CMD of a training institute, said some students may drop out this year because they don’t want to take chances. “There are apprehensions among applicants about security and exposure. Unlike other professional entrance exams, such as JEE and NEET, the CA exam is not a one-day affair. It is a pencil and paper exam that requires students to visit their test centers for four to eight days. Safety and sanitation protocol is a concern among the applicants, ”Shah said.
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