The Indian students are finding difficult taking the US-based Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) institute exams that are being conducted in different parts of the world. There are at least 6,000 students appearing from India at different centres like Kathmandu, Dhaka, Colombo, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. But the problem that is arising is the political strife that is going on in these countries.
According to a CFA student, Rajiv Sinha (name changed) the delay of the CFA authorities have left us with no other option but to request for refund of fees paid and cancel the flight tickets. He added that, ?we are right now no-where?.
The problems that the CFA students are facing with the different centres are?visa on arrival is not available for Dubai and Singapore, Colombo is under curfew due to internal strife (LTTE problems), Singapore?s visa on arrival costs approximately around $1,000 plus the air tickets are at sky high rates.
With the delay from the CFA authorities, the Indian applicants have landed up in a difficult situation. Even if the CFA students are reaching to CFA authorities in USA, what they get to hear is, ?we are monitoring the situation?. The course fee is also not minimal and there are three levels for clearing CFA. For levels I and II, the enrolment and exam fee is $990 and $1,080 respectively. The level III fee is $1395.
A statement issued for the CFA institute for the CFA exam to be conducted in Bangkok on Sunday, December 7 said, ?We have been closely monitoring the situation in Bangkok and have concluded that although we intend to hold the exam in Bangkok on Sunday, 7 December as planned, candidates may be unable to sit for the exam on that date due to travel issues. Therefore, we are making the following additional options available. Candidates may defer CFA exam registration to the June 2009 exam and will receive the 2009 CFA Program curriculum at no charge (you would pay applicable import duties and taxes) or candidates may choose to cancel their registration and receive a full refund of applicable CFA program fees.?
Even last year, due to the court case between the Institute and the technical education regulator, All India Council For Technical Education (AICTE), there were problems that the CFA students were facing. The AICTE had asked the CFA institute to close down India operations as it felt that they had not taken the approval for running such a course.