Hi Everyone,
Can u please guide me that is it mandatory to attend orientation programme before interview?
If yes, then can we select centre other than the centre where interview is to be held?
Please reply soon.
Richa ( ) (377 Points)
12 August 2014Hi Everyone,
Can u please guide me that is it mandatory to attend orientation programme before interview?
If yes, then can we select centre other than the centre where interview is to be held?
Please reply soon.
Jithin
(Learner)
(1057 Points)
Replied 13 August 2014
Hi Richa, the official version is that its compulsory to attend the orientation programme. But when u appear for the campus, nobody asks u for any proof of attending the orientation. There is no proper system adopted by ICAI to monitor the attendance. So effectively u can skip the orientation programme. My cousin sister did the same last time(in feb-mar 2014 campus) since she didnt get leave from her job. Two of her friends also had skipped their orientation and attended campus without any issue.
Richa
( )
(377 Points)
Replied 13 August 2014
Hi Jithin, Thank you for your reply. actually my concern is that I have selected both small (Jaipur) and big centre (New delhi) and for orientation programme, I have chosen New delhi. But the interview date in jaipur is much before the date of OP in New Delhi. So, even if I want to I can't attend the OP before jaipur interviews.
CA. Rajiv.R
(Searching for employment)
(283 Points)
Replied 13 August 2014
Jithin
(Learner)
(1057 Points)
Replied 13 August 2014
Hi Richa I maybe totally wrong but from what I can recollect, u hv got an option to choose either (a)a big centre as well as a small centre Or (b)a big centre only. And in case u choose option b, u will have to do ur orientation from a big centre. If its option (a), u will have to choose the small centre which u hv opted for ur campus as ur orientation centre. I hv only a vague memory of what I had read in the instructions for filling up the form(it has been six months ago), so whatever I hv written above may be entirely wrong. Just wanted to confirm that u hv read the instructions at cmii site carefully and things arent really as I hv enumerated above.
If the Institute has allowed u to opt for a big centre and has scheduled the orientation programme such that u will be forced to attend the small centre campus without doing orientation, ICAI is effectively permitting u to attend the campus without orientation. I dont think the Institute will make it an issue since it is their fault that they have scheduled it like that. Even otherwise, as I said earlier, nobody is going to check whether u hv done orientation.
@ Sunny
Its just one day. Pls check this link for the schedule of orienation. https://www.cmii.icai.org/includes/schedule_chart.asp
Richa
( )
(377 Points)
Replied 13 August 2014
Hi Jithin, I have selected option (a). But, when I was filling next section of the form which was - from where I want to do OP, list of all the 21 centres was appearing. So, I thought I could select any centre from the list and I selected New Delhi. Later when I read about the OP, I got confused as it said that attending OP is mandatory before interview. If this is so, then when a student has selected a smaller centre as his/her first preference then, none of the bigger centre should appear in the list of the centres of OP. It is a defect in ICAI system if even bigger centres appear for selection. Because, this way every person who wants to attend the OP from bigger centre and has accordingly selected the same but has wished to appear for interview first at the smaller centre, can in no case complete the OP before interview.
If you have any other information please guide me further.
Thank You
Jithin
(Learner)
(1057 Points)
Replied 13 August 2014
Yeah it should not have displayed all 21 centres and it maybe due to a defect in the system of ICAI..or maybe ICAI allows u to select a large centre for OP even when u hv opted for option a(but that obviously doesnt make sense since candidates opting for large centres cant do their OP b4 small centre campus). Now, while reading the campus instructions, have u come across any rule which stipulates that any candidate selecting option (a) has to mandatorily choose a small centre for OP?
On an afterthought, ur case seems different from my cousin sister's and her friends' examples that I mentioned above. My cousin sister and her friends had all selected small centre 4 their orientation but cudnt attend the same due to various reasons. When they appeared 4 their campus at the small centre, the orientation programme had already finished. So even if somebody had asked them about OP, they could hv easily lied that they had attended OP. But in ur case it isnt possible since the OP at Delhi starts only after the Jaipur campus and it will be clearly mentioned in the printout of ur campus reg form(which u hv to carry with u to the campus) that u hv selected Delhi as ur OP centre. So the only alternative b4 u is to contact ICAI and enquire whether it is permissible for a candidate opting for option (a) to choose a big centre 4 OP. And if it is permissible, confirm that it is okay to attend campus at the small centre without undergoing OP. If it isnt permissible to choose a big centre 4 OP, then enquire whether it is possible to attend OP from Jaipur itself. If ICAI replies in negative to all ur queries, then just take the risk and go 4 the Jaipur campus. It isnt necessary that they check the reg form so as to find out the place specified by u 4 orientation.
P.S.I guess u cant change the OP centre once u hv made the selection. In case it is possible, then just change ur OP centre to Jaipur.
Richa
( )
(377 Points)
Replied 13 August 2014
No, I have not come across any rule which stipulates that any candidate selecting option (a) has to mandatorily choose a small centre for OP. This is all what I have found -
Guidelines for the Orientation Programme:
a) The shortlisted candidates already attended the orientation program at the smaller centres is advisable not to attend the orientation program at bigger/metro centres after the merger of the database with the second centre of their choice.
b) If the candidates has opted only for one centre which is a bigger centre for interview the shortlisted candidates is advisable to attend the orientation program at any one of the bigger centres only.
c) Attending the Orientation Programme shall be mandatory for the shortlisted candidates.
In the above guidelines, there is nowhere mentioned that a person has to mandatorily choose a smaller centre for OP.
But, I will try finding out with ICAI. Do we have to compulsorily carry the printout of the registration form to the campus?
Can you tell me what exactly happens in the OP?
P.S.Ya, we can't change the OP centre and the first place of preference for interview once we have made a choice. Rest everything in the form can be changed, but this can't be changed.
Thank You once again for your valuable guidence and quick replies.
CA. Rajiv.R
(Searching for employment)
(283 Points)
Replied 14 August 2014
Richa
( )
(377 Points)
Replied 14 August 2014
Hi sunny, first of all congratulations for clearing the papers.
You can register now also. But basically, these dates are for the ones who prefer smaller centres.
Jithin
(Learner)
(1057 Points)
Replied 14 August 2014
@ Richa
Hmm so there is nothing like that specified in the rules..Yeah the best thing is to call up the institute and find out.
As regards OP, I cant exactly explain whats all happening in an orientation since I hvnt attended one. I am yet to appear for my ca finals although my attempt has become due quite some time back(hv been skipping exams due to some serious health issues). But frm what I hv heard abt OP, the whole objective of orientation is to fine-tune the candidates and prepare them 4 d campus interview. There will be talks frm senior CAs providing u career guidance. These are all OP is supposed to be. But how far it is effective varies from centre to centre. In the centre choosen by my cousin sister for OP, it was a sheer waste of time(as told by her friends who attended OP frm there last time).
And yeah bringing along printout of the reg form to the campus is a must. That has been clearly mentioned in the guidelines. But I dont know whether the authorities at the campus will be actually demanding u to produce the printout for scrutiny, since I dont hv a first-hand experience of campus interviews. I am only familiar with the registration process(even thats bcoz I had filled up the reg form 4 my cousin since she was busy with her job).
@ Sunny
Agree with Richa. A candidate choosing ''a large centre only'' can register anytime btwn 12th Aug and 3rd Sep.
CA. Rajiv.R
(Searching for employment)
(283 Points)
Replied 14 August 2014