CA Exams Dec 2021: SC to hear petition seeking Opt-Out option for symptomatic students who don’t want RT-PCR test

For the December 2021 exams, the Supreme Court will examine a petition seeking a ‘Opt Out’ option for symptomatic students who do not have an RT-PCR test.

Sanjeev K Arora, a prospective candidate for the CA Exam scheduled for December 5, 2021, to December 19, 2021, filed an application with the ICAI requesting that the ICAI not require RT PCR reports from symptomatic candidates and instead consider medical certificates sufficient for moving candidates to the next cycle of examination.

The application stated that requiring an RTPCR report (within 72 hours) for the exams scheduled from December 5, 2021 to December 19, 2021 is impracticable and unfeasible for students preparing to write the exams because the examination cycle lasts for 15 days and not a single day stint, and it is impracticable to get the RTPCR report after every second exam.

The application asks for instructions on how to create alternate arrangements for symptomatic students/fevered pupils to take the impending exams in December 2021.

The application also noted that the impugned announcement does not identify any ‘Opt-out’ scheme in respect of candidates who suffer from fever or any COVID-19 associated symptoms, especially when the CA Final Old Course Students are writing their last try. Make whatever necessary alternate arrangements for applicants who are ready to write the exam despite the fever SOP in cases of non-Covid associated fever.

It has also been claimed that the November 8 notification is in violation of the Supreme Court’s judgement of June 30, 2021, as well as Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Guidelines from September 2, 2020, updated on September 10, 2020.