FAQs on ICITSS Orientation Course of ICAI (post merger of GMCS I)

ICITSS Orientation Course of ICAI is a 15 days (90 hours) program required to be undergone mandatorily by all new entrants for CA course before registering for practical training.

ICITSS Orientation Course primarily focuses on the students, to make them complete business managers with an all-round personality encompassing managerial/ soft/communication skills.

ICITSS Orientation course has been introduced as a result of the ICAI’s decision to dispense with GMCS-I Course and merge its syllabus with the Orientation Programme, from 01/07/2016.

ICAI has issued a set of 10 FAQs on ICITSS Orientation Course (OC) of ICAI, which inter-alia includes information on the course duration, fee structure, eligibility, etc., as under:

1. Objectives:

The Orientation Course aims to equip the entrants of the profession-

i) To familiarize with various dimensions of the Indian Accountancy Profession.

ii) To develop effective communication and presentation skills.

iii) To groom and motivate the entrants to be knowledgeable and skilled professionals.

iv) To expand the significance of practical training in the life of a professional.

v) To foster values such as integrity, transparency and Independence in the budding professionals.

2. Eligibility:

The students are required to undergo Orientation Course before registering for practical training.

3. Duration:

The duration of the course shall be 90 hours (15 days X 6 hours per day). Classes are held for 6 hours each day for 6 days a week.

The suggested allocation of time among the broad areas of the course contents is as follows:

i) About the Institute, Academic & Technical Guidance, General Management: 06 Hours

ii) Developing Personal Traits: 12 Hours

iii) Business Communication: 12 Hours

iv) Presentation: 24 Hours

v) Interpersonal & Negotiation Skills: 12 Hours

vi) Office Procedure: 06 Hours

vii) Business Environment: 06 Hours

viii) Strategic Decision Making: 06 Hours

ix) Practical (Project): 06 Hours

The Board of Studies has finalized a “Session Plan” to facilitate systematic course delivery. The programme is to be organized as per the Session Plan.

4. Teaching Methodology:

Multiple methods including lectures, case studies, presentations, group discussions, management games, projects etc. should be used.

5. Enrolment of Students:

All Organizing Centres must adapt a transparent procedure to enroll the students. The enrolment of students shall be done on “First Come First Serve” basis through ICAI’s portal at https://www.icaionlineregistration.org/.

6. Fee:

The fee shall be Rs.7000/- (Seven thousand only) per student on non-residential basis, inclusive of course material and tea/ refreshment. This fee structure is not applicable for the students who wish to undergo Orientation Course at Dubai Overseas office.

Branches which wish to organize residential Orientation Course will follow the same “Session Plan” similar to regular Orientation Course. The fee for such programme shall be Rs. 20,000/- per student.

The fee for the Programme is non-refundable and may be transferred from one Programme Organizing Unit (POU) to another, if the student wishes to attend a batch in another POU in case of some exigency.

Penalty clause for student for non informing about their absence from OC classes

Students who would not inform about their absence after confirmation of allotment of a batch, at least 3 days before the commencement of the OC batch, a penalty of Rs.500/- be imposed to such students w.e.f. 01/04/2015. (No waiver in any case shall be allowed.)

The organizing center shall collect this penalty from the student in the form of a Demand Draft of Rs.500/- in favour of Secretary, ICAI payable at New Delhi, and send it to Board of Studies.

7. Exemption from payment of fees to Disabled Students:

Disabled Students, suffering from 50% or above permanent disability are exempted from payment of fee and compulsorily attending Orientation Course. Such students can either opt to (i) attend all the classes or (ii) appear in two test papers of 3 hours each after a period of 15 days from the date of registration after thoroughly studying the OC Study Manual. In case the student opts to take the tests, the Programme Organizing Unit (POU) may contact the Director, Board of Studies to obtain the test papers. [please refer attachment for details on the issues relating to disability]

8. Dress Code:

Students, while undergoing Orientation Course, shall adhere to the formal Dress Code as per the local culture and tradition.

Advisory Dress Code:- Male Students: Full Sleeves Shirts and Trousers; Female Students: Sarees/ Salvar Kurta/ Suit. While appearing before the appellate authority, they may also wear a suit and a tie.

9. Online Portal

Online Portal for OC/ MCS is operational. The organizing centers shall launch the batches of MCS course through ICAI portal only. No batches are to be conducted in the offline mode and no certificates are to be issued through offline mode.

The student registration, student attendance, faculty allocation, faculty feedback, certificate generation (which has the scanned signatures of Chairman, BOS) are to done through online mode only. The user manual related to the portal is also uploaded.

10. General:

Students are required to complete the Course without discontinuity. However, in exceptional circumstances, cases of absence of students for maximum two days or four sessions may be allowed by the Chairman/Secretary of the Organizing Centre. Certificate shall not be issued to the student unless the student completes the course.

Students are required to maintain discipline and decorum apart from adhering to the dress code specified above. For misbehavior/ nuisance in the class, the faculty will have the power to make a note and on the basis of which issue of Programme Completion Certificate may be withheld.

No cameras/ photographs be allowed in the sessions and uploaded on social networking sites.

ICAI’s FAQs/ Guidelines on ICITSS Orientation Course