ICAI advisory to students & members for‘objectionable’ social media posts

For CA Exams May 2020 and November 2020, many students took to social media, requesting the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to postpone the CA examinations, on concerns about COVID safety provisions in the exam halls. Many ICAI members supported the cause, leading to Twitter trends condemning the institute for ignoring the requests of the students. This has led to the ICAI issuing an advisory asking students and members to refrain from any objectionable social media posts against the institute. The ICAI advisory is as follows-

ADVISORY

Attention: All members and students

February 11, 2021

The ICAI has always been making efforts to protect the interest of the profession as also the development of all stakeholders by taking a number of initiatives targeted not only for regulating the profession but also to enhance the skills of the students and members to be contemporary as well as future ready.

Of late, we have come across certain instances wherein members and students have taken to social media to express their grievances related to profession/ academics without first taking up the issues with the Institute. Some of them have also written directly to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and other higher forums for the redressal of the grievances. Some of the posts are highly objectionable which have the potential to create social and communal disharmony, threatening peace, tranquility and may disrupt the security of the nation, public order and friendly relations with other nations. In certain cases, material posted on social media was seen to be false and misleading tarnishing the image of the profession in the eyes of the public and bringing disrepute to the profession.

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It is to be noted by all concerned that in terms of Part IV, First Schedule to the Chartered Accountants Act 1949, a member of the Institute, whether in practice or not, shall be deemed to be guilty of other misconduct, if he, brings disrepute to the profession or the Institute, as result of his action whether or not related to his professional work. As far as students are concerned any such action will be liable for appropriate action including cancellation of their registrations.

Members and students are, therefore, advised in their own interest, to exercise caution while posting/ sharing/ forwarding any message, video, audio, photograph(s), comments and other material on print and social media which may bring disrepute to the profession or tarnish the image of the Institute generally in the eyes of the public.

(Rakeiti Sehgal)

Acting Secretary