Kolkata: Thousands of aspiring chartered accountants filled the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre as the National Conference of CA Students 2026 brought together over 4,000 students from across India on June 20 and 21. Organised by the Board of Studies (Operations), The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and hosted by Eastern India Regional Council (EIRC) and Eastern India Chartered Accountants Students Association (EICASA) of ICAI themed “ARC – Aspire, Rise, Captivate,” the conference served as a platform for learning, networking and development.Inaugurating the conference, Jagannath Chattopadhyay, minister of higher education, said, “Chartered accountants are not merely custodians of financial records; they are guardians of transparency, accountability and trust.” He urged students to cultivate five essential habits, including integrity, continuous learning, excellence, empathy and service to the society.Following his address, Rajesh Kumar, IPS (Retd.) and MLA, govt of West Bengal, highlighted the importance of cybersecurity and data protection. Encouraging students, he said, “The best people are those who not only aspire to do things, but do not rest till they achieve their goal.” Quoting Swami Vivekananda, he further inspired delegates to “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.” On day two Dilip Ghosh, minister of panchayat and rural development, govt of West Bengal, said the state will build a “favourable environment” for business, driving demand for financial professionals. “Together with the youth, the govt will surely improve job opportunities and development possibilities in West Bengal,” Ghosh asserted.The conference also addressed evolving technology and artificial intelligence. EIRC chairman Mayur Agrawal said, “Technology is never a disruptor. It is always an enabler.” ICAI deputy secretary Amit Paul described AI as an “enabler” for chartered accountants. Dismissing automation anxieties, vice-chairman, EIRC and chairman, EICASA Hari Ram Agarwal said, “A CA cannot be replaced by AI, but certainly a CA with AI experience can replace another CA who is not AI acquainted.” “Interacting with professionals from across India has broadened my understanding of opportunities available after qualification,” said a CA intermediate student from Guwahati. The auditorium cheered as star educators Bhanwar Borana, Amit Mahajan, Shubham Keswani, Rishabh Jain, and Shubham Singhal took the stage, their encouraging interactions delighting students.
