CHENNAI: Many candidates ‘opted out’ of the November 2020 CA exams, conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). The exams, which started on Saturday, will go on for 18 days. The prolonged schedule of the exams in the middle of the pandemic has left many aspirants scared. These students have chosen to appear in the additional attempts in January or May.
While Express could not reach the Southern regional wing of the ICAI for comments, the ‘opt-out’ option was announced only on Thursday after repeated requests from candidates. Students could opt out if they were sick or concerned about their safety.
The fees paid for the exam will however be transferred for their next attempt. Many students said an 18-day exam timetable amid the pandemic put them at severe risk. “I did not want to take chances. There was a lot of confusion and the exam centre seemed unprepared when I visited it.
So I opted out,” said a student, who was slotted to write the exam at a centre in Saligramam. There was a lack of clarity ahead of the exam due to a series of announcements issued by the institute, some of which were first announced on social media before publication on the official website.