Experts from the Southern India Regional Council of Institute of Cost
Accountants of India will provide coaching on ICWA to students who have
completed plus two from corporation schools in the city from November.

A
total of 15 schools have been identified, and the coaching will be
provided to them for two hours on a daily basis, after class hours. The
coaching will help them take up their Institute of Cost Accountants of
India examination, the first step to become a cost accountant. A total
of 30 students will be tutored at each centre including 20 school
students and 10 outsiders.

The initiative was borne out of a
suggestion of Mayor Saidai S Duraiswamy to the SIRC-ICAI. The Mayor had
suggested that the organization should do something for the benefit of
students from Chennai Corporation schools.

P Raju Iyer, chairman
of the organization said, “The Mayor felt that we should do something
for their benefit. Following this, we decided to undertake a survey and a
feasibility study of the schools.”

The survey and interactions
with students proved to be an eye-opener to them as far as the
perception of corporation schools were concerned. “While the perception
is that students here are generally not bright, we found the reality to
be otherwise.

Many people do not know the difference between
chartered and cost accountancy, but here the students were well informed
about even the groups that they want to pursue, and the duration needed
for completing them. In short, all they need is proper guidance.”

In
addition, they were also aware of the costs involved. In lighter vein,
he added that this in itself qualified them to become cost accountants,
for that would be their role in the corporate set-up- suggesting ways to
reduce operational costs and keeping an eye on them.

As a pilot
project, the classes would commence in 15 schools, including those near
Ice House, Panagal Park and W Mambalam. The students would be charged a
nominal sum of Rs 4,000 for the coaching. Scholarships or refunds are
provided to SC and ST students, he added.

Deputy director of
ICAI-SIRC, K Shanmugam, too exuded confidence at the initiative, adding
that it was the interest levels of the students that encouraged them.

To
become a cost accountant, one must clear the inter and final stages of
study comprising two groups each, after the ICWA stage. This would take a
minimum of two-and-half years.