The Hindu Business Line : A spark from Kalam to develop on

MAKE education attractive by creating employment potential. Empty rhetoric? No, a suggestion from the first citizen Dr A. P. J. Kalam, with all the sincerity that is so much his trademark. It was less than a week ago, delivering the convocation address at Sambalpur University, that the President argued for education integrated with an entrepreneurial spirit, to ensure stability of our social structure.

If we pause to think if it is really feasible for accountants to chip in with some contribution in this sphere, the answer would be yes. How? Using the spare capacity that is available in CAs' offices to train articled clerks.

A recent article `CAs are ready to train, but there are few takers' (Business Line, June 7) had shocking statistics to show that capacity utilisation of training vacancies is tending to fall to an abysmal level of about 20 per cent. While this is justified by some snobs as a form of quality control to take into the CA apprenticeship system only the cream, what is not realised is that we are tolerating a lot of wasted training potential. An unjustifiable squander that is no different from a corporate creating plant capacity without orders on hand, and which promptly attracts audit query.

In his address, Dr Kalam spoke on the need to prepare students right from school and college to get oriented towards setting up of enterprises which will provide them creativity, freedom and ability to generate wealth. "Apart from entrepreneurship, the youth should have the `we can do it' spirit." But it looks like some goading may be required before the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India wakes up with the realisation that its members `can do'.

CA offices generate wealth, be it tax or audit, bookkeeping or bank inspection, and there is need for manpower. Small professional offices, unlike big firms, cannot afford high stipends for their apprentices, but they score on something critical: small firms can, over two-to-three years, train the eager young entrants to transcend to self-employment and entrepreneurship. Benefits: Win-win, plus use of idle training capacity.

Critics would be quick to point out how these young boys and girls may lack the CA-material in them. But, then, why should our goal be to churn out CAs? How about a course akin to that of `accounting technicians', aimed at producing entrepreneurs who could be a few notches below the typical CA but still marketable as a skill-set?

If the ICAI does not seize the opportunity to announce a new course — call it, say, NABA, for nuts-and-bolts-accounting — there could be new outfit, in all probability, with government blessing for such purpose.

Dr Kalam appeals to banks to be proactive and support the innovative products for enabling wealth generation by young entrepreneurs by setting aside the "conventional tangible asset syndrome." Professional bodies such as the ICAI may have to shake the elitist syndrome and use their expertise in designing not only post-qualification courses, but also tailor knowledge into saleable services, though not with a hefty price tag.

AccountSpeak@thehindu.co.in

More Stories on : Education | Accountancy | Account Speak

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Simplifying the issues

Minister-Secretary relations — I : From public to private servant

A spark from Kalam to develop on

FDI versus FII

Tainted rhymes with sainted

Give diligence its due

Power of populism

Musharraf doctrine