New Delhi: To usher in a new facility for the Chartered Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), a premier professional accountancy body in the country has taken the first step towards opening its first residential campus - "Centre of Excellence" at Jaipur.

The Foundation Stone laying ceremony was held on September 11 by Minister of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Prem Chand Gupta. Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Mrs. Vasundhara Raje was the Chief Guest on this occasion.

Highlighting the importance of the Centre of Excellence Ved Jain, President, ICAI said "ICAI is an organization that has achieved recognition as a premier accounting body not only in the country but also globally for its contribution in the fields of education, professional development, maintenance of high accounting, auditing and ethical standards. Keeping in line with our promise to provide the best facilities for our Chartered Accountants, we have undertaken this initiative of opening the Centre of Excellence which will not only provide residential training to our students, as part of the article ship, but will also provide a research hub in accounting and other related areas."

"I am confident that the Centre of Excellence at Jaipur will further enhance and expedite the process of making Chartered Accountants a class of matchless professionals. The Centre of Excellence at Jaipur would be an international landmark in the field of education and training. It will be a lead research institution - a major force for the formulation of economic and financial policies. The Centre of Excellence has been made possible due to the efforts of Mr.S.N.Gupta, Chairman, Public Grievances Redressal Committee, Rajasthan & CA Vijay Garg, Central Council Member of the Institute", he further said.

CA. Uttam Prakash Agarwal, Vice- President of the Institute reiterated, "The Centre of Excellence will help to develop knowledge and tools for capacity building of the professionals, industry and the government and will provide infrastructure for campus training to the students. The Centre will also help to meet the demands of neighboring countries and other parts of the world for training their accountants."

The objective for which this Centre of Excellence is being set up is:-

- To provide infrastructure for campus training to the students and continuing professional education to the members.

- To provide infrastructure to meet huge demand for accounting and financial related knowledge.

- To provide a research hub in accounting and other related areas.

- To develop knowledge and tools for capacity building of the professionals, industry and the Government.

- To meet demand of neighboring countries and other parts of the world for training their accounts.

- To provide skill set required for newer areas of economic development.