1. The students are aware that vide Announcement dated 15th June 2020, the Institute, after taking in account the academic interests and health safeguards of students intending to appear in May 2020 Examinations, had enabled them to change their centre for appearance in May/ July 2020 Examination and/or to decide, at their free will, to “Opt Out” of the May/ July 2020 Examinations with carryover of all benefits including fee paid and exemptions. The Announcement also stated that Institute will review the situation of pandemic (COVID cases, MHA guidelines, Centre and State Government directions) in first week of July 2020 and the conduct of examinations commencing from 29th July 2020 was to be strictly dependent upon prevailing Government’s advisories for the area in which a particular Centre is situated and, in any eventuality, the students were to be accommodated to November 2020 Examination cycle.

2. Further Announcement dated 17th June 2020 provided for FAQ’s relating to conduct of May/ July 2020 Examinations, change in centre and operation and procedure for Opt Out to address the queries raised by the students. Announcements dated 20th June 2020 and 26th June 2020 extended the availability of facility to “opt out” to allow the students to make their decision which facility is available to the students even as on date.

Further Developments:

• A. With Unlock1, the severity of COVID 19 Pandemic was expected to subside from the later part of June 2020, but has rather become more severe and, therefore a Review as per announcement dated 15 June 2020 has become necessary.
   
• B. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India vide its Guidelines dated 29th June 2020 has extended the closure of all schools & academic Institutions and academic congregations till 31st July 2020. Select State Governments have put extended prohibitions in their respective States. Post the said Notification dated 29th June 2020, many Schools/ Academic Institutions have expressed their inability to provide their premises to conduct the Examinations.

On a review of above developments and in order to ensure the interest of its students and their well-being, the Institute has decided to cancel May 2020 Examinations and merge the May 2020 attempt with November 2020 Examinations, with due carryover of all benefits already available to students including fee paid and exemptions. The students who have made application for May 2020 Examinations will have an option to change the group(s) of their appearance and centre of Examinations at the time of making a fresh application for November 2020 Examinations, which, subject to conditions prevailing at relevant time, will start from 1st November 2020. It is again clarified that in this schema, the students will be free to exercise the options afresh for the groups that they intend to appear in the November 2020 examinations.

The students are advised to stay in touch with the Institute’s website www.icai.org for further announcements relating to November 2020 Examinations and in case of any queries can write at may2020exam@icai.in.