No sensitive examination-related information compromised, claims ICAI

Chartered accountants’ apex body, ICAI, on Thursday said no sensitive information related to its examination process has been compromised amid reports claiming that there was unauthorised access to the examination records. The statement from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) also came on a day when it announced the final examination results.

Out of the 87,497 candidates admitted for the final examinations held in May, a total of 7,931 candidates qualified as chartered accountants, as per the results announced on Thursday. The institute, set up under an Act of Parliament, conducts final examinations twice a year.

In a statement on Thursday, ICAI assured all stakeholders that no candidates’ examination records, answer books, marks data, or any sensitive information related to the examination process have been compromised. Against the backdrop of reports in social media alleging security breach in one of the institute’s examination-related portal and unauthorised access to the examination records, the institute urged stakeholders not to give any credence to such false, baseless and mischievous campaign.

The institute, which has nearly 12 lakh students, also said stringent action in accordance with law would be taken against persons spreading such rumours and false claims. It clarified that the “portal being referred to, namely examiners.icaiexam.icai.org, is a training portal used exclusively for examiner orientation and has nothing to do with exam-related records as claimed in these posts”.

ICAI examination processes are robust, totally secure and supported by a strong information technology infrastructure with multiple layers of safeguards to protect the integrity and confidentiality of examination-related data, the statement said.

The institute has more than five lakh members.

Meanwhile, the NEET-UG for admissions into medical courses that took place on May 3 was cancelled by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 12 amid allegations of a paper leak. The CBI is investigating the matter while the retest is scheduled for June 21.