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Those who want to pursue Chartered Accountancy (CA) alongside BCom (honours) or BCom (pass) from Delhi University (DU) should think again. Professors and students say pursuing BCom and CA simultaneously has become impossible from this year onwards.

Earlier, students pursuing BCom (honours) from top DU colleges could complete CA easily alongside their degree. But now the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India have changed the rules that DU’s commerce teachers said means: either you pursue CA after Class XII or, if you wish to do BCom, you can pursue CA only after that.

“ The incompatibility of both the courses is bothering students keen to pursue CA as a career,” said Dr Poonam Sethi, an associate professor of commerce at Hindu College.

A student who wants to pursue CA needs to appear for a Common Proficiency Test (CPT), for which the eligibility is Class XII. As a new procedure, nine months after clearing this test, the student becomes eligible for the Integrated Professional Competency Course (IPCC) after which the student needs to do an ‘ articleship’ of three- and- a- half years.

The CPT is held twice a year, in June and December. The IPCC is also held twice a year, in May and November, which a student can take nine months after clearing the CPT. Now, according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, a student cannot do articleship while pursuing BCom. “ So a student can appear for the IPPC in his/ her BCom final year now for pursuing articleship. This means a student will now require six- and- a- half years to acquire both the degrees,” Dr Sethi said.

After clearing the IPPC, the articleship is mandatory and then the final course is done.

“ Earlier, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India allowed students to pursue articleship soon after clearing the CPT. The timings were also flexible for students pursuing BCom along with CA. A student had to spend 40 hours in a week for CA’s articleship,” said Dhruv Anand, an ex- student of BCom (honours) at Hindu College. He cleared both the courses successfully.

“ Earlier, the articleship was divided into two parts, that is one- and- a- half years before the Professional Competency Course (PCC) and two years after this course. And then the final course was done. All this has changed.

Students joining BCom would not be able to follow this procedure as it will be difficult for them to pursue both,” said Dhruv. “ It is wastage of time,” he added.

Commerce teachers hold that students should now onwards either choose CA or purse BCom from an open university for doing CA along with it. “ Pursuing BCom (honours) will not be easy for students if they want to go for CA. Studies in BCom also demand time. The curriculum is also good.

With exposure to such wide- ranging subjects, a commerce graduate easily finds his/ her place not only in the corporate world but also in administrative services and teaching positions. Combined with a professional degree, students can reach unforeseen heights,” a professor said.