CA aspirants need not clear CPT

NAGPUR: The Indian Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has relaxed the norms for students aspiring to become chartered accountants. Until now an aspirant had to clear common proficiency test for chartered accountancy (CPT) after Std XII or graduation. Now there is an option of becoming a CA without clearing CPT. The existing option will continue to be available.

ICAI president G Ramaswamy told the media on Saturday that students who have completed two years of graduation can directly appear for Intermediate Proficiency Competency Course (IPCC) - which is the final step in becoming a CA - after doing apprenticeship. Even those students who have not appeared for Std XII exam but have done a diploma and a vocational course followed by two years of graduation also need not appear for CPT.

Ramaswamy further said that ICAI would not provide question papers to students 15 minutes before the examination began so that they go through the question papers and strategize their answers.

Presently, application forms for enrolling for CPT course are available at five certified registration centres (CRCs) in India. In order to facilitate students, the ICAI has decided to launch online CPT registration facility through CRCs where students across the country can register themselves for the CPT course by simply walking into the local ICAI office and pay the fee online (through credit or debit card).

The examination department of ICAI had implemented an automation process covering the coding, attendance data capturing, reconciliation and capturing of marks (after evaluation by examiners), tabulation, etc, Ramaswamy said.

ICAI Nagpur chief Kavita Loya said that the organization had entered into an MOU with several universities and was in the process of tying up with many others. CA Julfesh Shah said that ICAI was extending support to Omani finance professionals and was working on a tie up with its counterpart in New Zealand.

This was announced by ICAI President in a meeting. But it is yet to announced by Board of Studies Officially in ICAI website