ICAI CA exams: No RT PCR needed for opt-out due to COVID-related difficulties, says SC

New Delhi, June 30: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed Institute of Chartered Accountants of India to provide 'opt-out' option to candidates appearing in the July 5 CA exams, who are not able to prepare for exams either due to suffering from Covid or due to their families who might have contracted the disease.

The court also said that the candidates need not produce RT PCR report if they produce a certificate from a Doctor on Covid.

If any candidate contracts the virus during the examination and is unable to appear for other papers, he or she will be allowed to opt-out and it (the attempt) should not be treated as an attempt, the Court said.

ICAI must permit the candidate to opt-out of the exam in case of a last-minute change of examination centre, the top court ordered. It shall not be counted as an attempt by the candidate for counting the limit to appear in exams, it added.

The Supreme Court rejected ICAI's suggestion that the opt-out option will not be provided if there is a change of examination centre within the city.