Chartered Accountants raise concerns over “VIP Culture” at ICAI events

• A recent post on X (Twitter) by a Chartered Accountant has sparked a heated discussion within the CA fraternity.
• Posted on February 2, 2026, the post, which crossed 113,000 views, describes what the author called an emerging “VIP vs Non-VIP culture at ICAI events!
• The trigger? Seating arrangements at the recent World Forum of Accountants.

WOFA was quite a success

For context, the World Forum of Accountants (WOFA), organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), is positioned as a global platform.

WOFA 2.0 brought together 10,000+ delegates to discuss AI in finance, global capability centres, capital markets, sustainability, and governance.

By scale and ambition, it was meant to signal that the Indian CA ecosystem is thinking internationally.

But the online conversation veered elsewhere

CA Anupam Sharma, Partner at Anupam Ramesh & Associates, pointed out some stark differences at the event:

• Plush sofas were reserved for office-bearers and select invitees, while regular members were seated separately.
• There were also claims of separate dining areas for Central and Regional Council Members and common members, something he suggested was unprecedented in the fraternity’s history.

His question was simple and pointed: “Has ICAI leadership become so ‘big’ that even sharing a meal with a fellow professional is beneath them?”

The reactions were swift

Several CAs echoed similar concerns:

• Some questioned the need for separate dining halls.
• A few said they had stopped attending ICAI events altogether.
• Some pointed out that separate dining arrangements have existed in past events as well.

The reactions ranged from disappointment to outright frustration.

Others remarked that visible hierarchy at professional gatherings feels uncomfortable in a fraternity where everyone holds the same designation, earned through the same exams.

Also read: ICAI Under Fire: Women Removed from Front Row at CA Students’ Conference Following Guest’s Demand

Some CAs shared a different perspective

Not discrimination but standard security protocol.

One attendee claimed that WOFA was operating on established protocol similar to a large-scale international event. Differentiated seating and access for dignitaries isn’t VIP culture. It’s how every serious global conference functions due to security, scheduling, and crowd management concerns.

WOFA delivered on its goal: Networking 

Another one wrote, “The prime objective was networking and going global, and on that front, WOfA 2.0 delivered.”

Wrapping up…

Was WOFA successful? By scale, participation and international presence, yes. Thousands attended. Global conversations happened. Networking took place.

Yet the loudest debate wasn’t about AI or capital markets. It was about where people sat and where they ate.

Which suggests this was never really about furniture….It was about how members feel within their own institution.

On paper, every member is a Chartered Accountant. The qualification is equal.

The friction arises when symbolism becomes visible.

The bigger conversation:

• Is ICAI institutionalising hierarchy?
• Is India’s CA body struggling between bureaucracy and global ambition?
• Can you build a world-class brand while looking internally divided?
• Why are younger CAs more sensitive to symbolism than older ones?
• Are ICAI Council members milking ICAI members and the ICAI for their own personal agenda/goals?