The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has postponed the CA examinations scheduled for September 9 and 10 at its Kathmandu centre, citing safety concerns amid escalating protests in Nepal. The decision affects the CA Intermediate Group 1, Paper 1 and the CA Final Group 1, Paper 1, with new dates to be announced once conditions permit.

ICAI President clarified that such postponements are implemented only when conducting exams on the ground becomes unfeasible. “Wherever there are disturbances, we defer the exam. Once the atmosphere becomes peaceful, we are very keen to conduct our exam within a possible time frame,” he stated, emphasizing the institute’s commitment to students’ schedules.

The Kathmandu postponement comes amid widespread unrest following the Nepali government’s temporary ban on 26 popular social media platforms, sparking what has been dubbed the ‘Gen Z protests.’

Initially peaceful, the demonstrations escalated into violent incidents, including arson at key government buildings, reflecting deeper frustration over corruption, nepotism, and inequality. The protests culminated in Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation on September 9, alongside several ministers and MPs.

This marks the second ICAI exam disruption this month. Earlier, papers scheduled in Punjab on September 2 and 3 were postponed due to severe flooding, though exams resumed there from September 6. Revised dates for the affected papers in Punjab and Kathmandu are pending.

The institute emphasized that the postponement is limited to Kathmandu, with all other examination centres in India and abroad continuing as per the original schedule. Students outside Kathmandu have been instructed to report according to the timings on their admit cards.