Around 6,000 students have written a letter to Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi demanding the postponement of the Chartered Accountancy (CA) examinations scheduled to be conducted offline, from July 5. Students said they did not want the exams to be cancelled but postponed until they were vaccinated.
The letter has been addressed to the PM for taking suo-motu cognizance of the CA exams to be conducted offline nationwide, from July 5, 2021 to July 20, 2021, by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). Over three lakh students will appear for these exams.
In the letter, students have expressed the dire need to be vaccinated before being forced to take the exams. Students said, “We want to submit to the PM that we do not want any cancellation of exams but vaccination is something the PM himself has emphasised. CA students going to appear for these exams are in the 18-23 age group. It would be injustice towards these students as well as their family if they are pressurised to appear for the 15-day long physical exams without having been provided an opportunity to avail vaccination.”
Of the 3 lakh students, the majority have not been vaccinated yet because the state vaccination drive for 18-44 age group was suspended until recently. Sanaya Mehta, a student said, “ICAI should postpone CA exams, as the careers of lakhs of students are stuck. Careers can wait for a year or two but conducting exams putting students’ lives at stake is not done. The exams should be conducted after we are vaccinated.”
In the letter, students said, “With reference to the statement of the Prime Minister while cancelling board exams, the PM said the health of students and safety is of topmost importance. We humbly want to ask whether CA students do not fall in the category of students.”
Another student said, “Why are CA exams being conducted offline when all other major exams have been either postponed, cancelled or conducted offline? On the one hand, both the state and Central governments are encouraging youth to take the vaccine while on the other hand, we are being compelled to appear for exams without any protection.”
