Dear Sir
Response to your blog
While this well
drafted letter is bounding to create a stir in student circles, i would like to
point out some dimensions and what I am writing is from a first hand experience. While I do not have the intellectual largess to challenge any of your arguments, just submitting my two pence
1) The quantum of
respect that a profession will get will certainly be a function of the
difficulty level involved in the process. The IIT/IIMs are a splendid example of this. They limit the no of seats to a specific number so that it does not lose its snob effect. Diamonds are diamonds only because a few people can afford them- the basic Eco concept
The Institute has gone for course
correction to restore the credibility of the profession in an era where
salaries of CAs at the bottom of the pyramid is bordering Rs 20k per month,
something which even a graduate earns today at a call centre. I can tell this
with a certain stamp of authority as I have founded http://www.cajobportal.com/,
India's first and only website currently that focuses on CA Jobs. While CAs
also do start with the HULs and ITCs of the world at salaries of 20 lacs and 16
lacs, so many are unemployed. When I post any position even worth Rs 3 lacs per
annum, I get dozens of CVs within hours atcareers@cajobportal.com.
And I am frustated when I see May 2012 passouts applying for a fresher position
in January 2014.
2) The same students
who are raising a hue and cry about the examination process are the ones who feel its their birthright to pass. No one ever complained when results were 25%+. If they are not so happy with the system, they
can go for any other course/career path be it MBA or UPSC. But they will not and I also do not recommend that as we have one of the best professional courses in terms of content. A CA wins hands down as compared to an MBA as far as the technical knowledge is concerned. So why can't they be patient and appear for the exams after analysing their mistakes.
3) The students do not want
to attempt case studies as they have been in the 'learning by rote' habit. Not
their fault completely but they are also to blame. Ask a hundred CA students
whether they update themselves on current affairs , read ET and they don't and won't. They
are just busy attending tuitions. When the examination papers do not feature
those standard questions mugged by them, which they can solve as per the Step
1, Step 2 subroutine sold out to them by these crorepati tuition teachers, these robots
refuse to think. Any examination be it IIT or CAT always keeps some ambiguous
questions. A student is expected to make reasonable assumptions and proceed.
Corporate finance problems in real life profession also are beset with a level
of ambiguity. I have had a first hand experience of them.As qualified
professionals, do we shy away from them? Then why cant a student face ambiguity
4)About the examination process/There is a
meticulous marking scheme which has to be followed by the Examiner. The only
element of subjectivity is in the theory answers. The first 20 answer scripts
given to any Examiner are sent to Head Examiner/Asst Head Examiner. He
re-evaluates them completely and the variance is plotted. If its within
reasonable limits, only then can the Examiner proceed. In many cases, Examiners
are asked to evaluate another set of 20 scripts in case variance in the first
set is high. Further a qualified CA comes as a Checker and checks for totaling and whether each
and every answer is marked or not. What else do you expect? In none of the other
professions, do members of the Institute have the passion to spare time for the
examination process. No professional, worth his/her grain of salt would take up
these assignments except for the association with their Alma Mater. The money
involved isn't that enticing if you assess the realisation per hour but still
people take it as they respect the profession
5) About training,students today are also acting like James Bond
!! They come to a firm and ask the principal "what kind of exposure you
can give me as you have a small firm"? This is ridiculous as they know
this fact that when they enter that small firm's office and in their hearts of
hearts, they also know that have come there after exploring all avenues of Big
4 and stuff.
For sure, the Big 4 cannot accommodate all?
I had once thought abt a 3 yr Industrial Training for those who want to get
into industry and asked this question at a forum. But I was told that its not
possible as they would be given the right to discharge the attest function as
members which cannot be given w/o a stint in an audit firm (notwithstanding the
fact that today,even if you spend 3 yrs in a tax firm and have no clue of
audit, you are still given the right to discharge the attest function). I am
quite clear that if 75% of new members do not take a COP and want to join
industry, we need to have a re-look at the system.
Yes, the system needs
to be changed but not by aggressive sensationalism. Lets discuss it
The students are wasting more time circulating these on watsapp and FB instead of studying
Regards
Anurag
6 comments:
Absolutely correct.We need to realise what level of mistakes we had done and still doing and should understand that its time to re-engineer our thinking process which is more robotic at this point of time.Our profession is highly valued in the industry and we should feel proud that we are also part of it.Correction is required from our end instead of blaming the Institute.
Dear Anurag,
My reply, like my blogpost turned out to be really long. Couldn't manage to post it in a single go with all the "Text Typing" and "No. of Character Restriction". Have split and updated in the comment section of my blog itself, since I need not repeatedly use the "Text Typing" in my blogpost. You may read through the same if time permits.
Thanks for your comment on my blogpost and your view on the whole issue of results. I can see that you have a great regard for the profession. I salute you for creating the portal for CA Jobs. Many wishes for you to succeed in your endeavour.
Cheers!
GSM
Absolutely agree Anil
seriously? dude y r u comapring CAs to MBAs here? thts not even the point being discussed...the whole thing is about a flawed valuation system.
this is nothing connected to the market value of Indian CAs.
1) It's blatantly stupid to compare CA to any other course. Pass %, I really dont understand u guys, even if it's 100% whats the problem? U study well u deserve to pass. CA is not superior to any other course. Nothing wrong in being a proud CA, but having a false sense of superiority jst coz ur one- not cool.
2) Be patient? birthright? U r jst mocking students here...every CA aspirant obviously wants to be a CA man, i cant believe that u are actually serious here? the whole discussion is about "deserving" candidates being failed due to inherent flaws in the valuation system, i refuse to call it bad luck. ICAI has no right to fail u if u deserved to pass.
3)Again dun compare for God's sake. Ambiguity, I would say this is just like a school exam. ICAI seems to award marks oly if u use book wordings, then how can it be the student's fault. If updating about current affairs and having great skill n knowledge will not get you 400 in the scorecard, then y wud a student do it? At the end of the day we all want to pass. If rote learning is the way, mugging and vomiting is the solution, then the students will do it. I know a lotta people who are excellent at work but are unable to clear the exams, so ur arguement here is mute. Coz no student knows how ICAI values the papers and wt they expect. Its a gamble, ur either lucky or ur not.
4)This is your view and it's pretty narrow. All valuers are not the same. U have fair and unfair ones, so...
5)what is wrong with that? ur anyway getting cheap labour in the form of articles, then he/she might as well know wt best he/she can get from the firm.
Being aggressive is the way to go, it's too late for discussions. Not everybody has the time to patient and keep waiting for November and May.
Rightly said Vaibhav sir. And these people cannot run away from this fact by just blaming the students to not to have prepared well in exams. They should answer that what the hell they want from the students. Ok just agree once that students may not be preparing well.. then what about those students who have attempted for 5 6 attempts and those who have excellent practical knowledge even more than a CA can have. According to these people even they didnt have prepare well! right? Come on Anurag sir this is really hard to believe that a student who had preapred for so many attempts so many times wouldn't have prepared well. A person in Ca Final cannot be so duffer that even after reading a subject so many times won't be able to understand that subject and won't be able to write anything in exams. In that case, Anurag sir can you please elaborate the meaning of preparation for these exams? Perhaps we students don't know how to prepare. And is that really so that by just being aware of current affairs we will clear. If that so then why don't the institute set the paper on the basis of current affairs only.And sir Its the fact that institue just put pressure on the students. It just want the student to write the answer word by word, in that case mugging up the things is the only solution left with students. I know one of my CA friend who cleared an interview in one of Big 4s giving answer to the quetion asked by an interviewer What do you know about AS 19 and no one will believe that she answered AS 19 Is Accounting for Fixed Assets.and explained about Fixed Assets. Is this expected from a CA? Now what do you say that she would have prepared very well for her exams and she have very much practical knowledge and all that stuff you guys expect from a Student to be A CA. Is it fair? And not only this many of my friends are sitting idle at home even after being a CA, you know why because they don't have any practical knowledge as they havent done articleship. They were dummy articles. They don't know A of auditing. No matter! they are a CA now. By this it means, articleship is just a waste of time because a student is not going to clear his exam on the basis of articleship. The ultimate thing is, its all about wrong evaluation system of the Institute and you have to accept this fact. Be a human being and take an initiative to solve the problem of crores of students instead of just saving the institutes's skin. your one step can change the life of many people. And last but not the least Sai sir we all appreciate your effort. Thank You so much!
Post a Comment