The accounting technician course proposed for launch by ICAI will now cover candidates who could not clear their final examinations for CA. The technicians will be absorbed in the accounting and finance departments, directly assisting the chartered accountants.

ICAI has already proposed to the Union ministry of corporate affairs to go ahead with the launch of the new course. It is expecting the Centre to give the necessary clearances in the next couple of months.

According to the proposal, a student will be required to register for the entrance examination after passing his 10th grade examination. The eligible candidates will be required to attend classes and undergo IT training. After successful completion of the studies and IT training, students can appear for the examination, any time after nine months of registration.

"Candidates who could not clear CA finals will just have to appear for 100 hour computer training to get the accounting technician certificate. They will not have to follow the procedures like other students. We are expecting that about one lakh students who could not clear examinations beyond CA inter will now have even better opportunities in the job market," said ICAI vice president Uttam Agrawal.

He added that the institute is expecting to create one lakh accounting technicians as a second rung of skilled manpower to the core accounting professionals in next couple of years. It may be mentioned here that 1.45 lakh CA professionals and 3.5 students are associated with ICAI.