Shashi Tharoor/File Image
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday questioned the Central government as to why were they not postponing exams until COVID-19 situation in the country subsides. The former minister said CA students were seeking his intervention for postponement of their exams. "Why can't GoI simply defer all examinations until the COVID-19 constraints are behind us," he asked.
Tharoor said it was unfair to say that those who can, may take an exam and others defer. No inequality please, he said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is hearing a plea that challenges the "opt-out" facility offered to CA students for the upcoming examinations alleging that it "arbitrarily" discriminates between the aspirants in the May cycle of CA examination. Earlier today, the ICAI told the court that it would assess the feasibility of conducting CA exams, scheduled between July 29 and August 16, in view of the rising coronavirus cases in the country.
The ICAI's counsel told a bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar that cases of coronavirus have increased and some of the states have extended that restrictions imposed amid the spike in the number of infections. The apex court will next hear the matter on July 10.
During a previous hearing, the apex court had asked ICAI to be flexible in conducting exams and take care of candidates' concerns. It had suggested that option for change in examination centre should be made available to the candidates till the last week before the scheduled exams considering the fact that an area may become a containment zone due to the coronavirus situation.
