Submit Online MEF form for year 2020-21 upto 12.10.2020

The Multi-Purpose Empanelment Form (MEF) for 2020-21 is now live. You can register for the same at https://meficai.org/ The Last date for registration is 12th October, 2020.

ADVISORY FOR MULTIPURPOSE EMPANELMENT FORM 2020-21

Last date for submission of online Form and Declaration is 12^th October, 2020

1. MULTIPURPOSE EMPANELMENT FORM (MEF)

Applicants of MEF 2020-21 have to login with MEF 2019-20 credentials. However, they can use “Forgot Password” button to retrieve the password, if required.
The applicant who have not filled MEF 2019-20 will be required to register for MEF using FRN & Date of Establishment for Partnership Firm/LLP/Proprietary Concern and MRN & Date of Birth for those who wants to apply as an Individual.
Members holding full time Certificate of Practice and Firms existing as on 01.01.2020 can only file MEF.
Member practising in individual name but having Proprietary concern should apply only as Proprietary Concern FRN.
MEF Application displays the:-
Information related to Firm, Members, Partners, Paid CA Employees as per ICAI Records as on 1^stJanuary 2020 is displayed in green color fields which are non-editable.
Any change in any information being displayed in green fields will be considered in MEF Application only if the same is reflected in ICAI’s Records as per SSP. Applicants may inform such changes in Grey color fields, which can be considered after due verification.
Information as per last year’s MEF (for those who have applied) is displayed in white color fields. This is an editable field and applicant should update the details, wherever required.
MEF can be filled and saved page-wise and can be edited multiple times before submission of MEF, but once submitted, it cannot be edited.
Before submission, the form can be downloaded and printed for thorough checking.
Confidentiality of password is sole responsibility of the applicant and all care must be taken to protect the password by changing it frequently and maintaining its secrecy by not sharing it with others.

2. ELIGIBILITY FOR BANK BRANCH AUDIT PANEL

The applicant will get the credit of the partner/proprietor/member only if she/ he is exclusively associated with the applicant from 01.01.2020 till second verification*.
In case, the firms are having common partner(s)/proprietor(s) as on 01.01.2020 and only one firm applies then the same will be eligible (subject to meeting other norms), but the credit of common partner(s)/proprietor(s) shall not be given. In case both / all the firms apply, the MEF of all these firms shall be rejected for Bank Branch Auditors panel.
The details of the common partner (s) and their association in firms and/or practising in Individual name / Sole practice will be shown after logging for MEF.
- Members associated with more than one concern as indicated below even for any one day during 01.01.2020 till second verification* will not be treated as exclusively associated with the applicant concerned:
Member is not holding full time CoP
Proprietor/Partner is also having Sole Practice (Individual)
Proprietor having more than one Proprietary Concern
Partner/Proprietor/Sole Practitioner is in employment
Proprietor/Partner is also partner in any other concern
- Members are advised to fill MEF during the period of compulsory rest (cooling period) also, else that period will not be counted for completing the period of 2 years of compulsory rest and hence will not be eligible for Bank Branch Auditors’ Panel even after 2 years (Please refer RBI Norms for Cooling Stations).
- Criteria of Categorization, Rotation and Resting are as per the prevailing norms issued by Reserve Bank of India and are subject to change from time to time.

3. UNIQUE CODE NUMBER (UCN)

UCN will be allotted to all first-time eligible applicant Firms / Members after due verification and submission of Declaration.
The applicants who are not eligible for Bank Branch Auditor’s panel will also be allotted UCN so that their data can be shared with various authorities seeking the panel for other Audits of Banks and other assignments. However, the following applicants will not be allotted UCN:
- Members practicing in their individual names:
- having no full-time CoP and/or
- associated with any other firm as Partner/Proprietor/CA employee.
- In case of firm:
- If none of the Partners / Proprietor is exclusively associated with that firm
- Any Member who has been allotted UCN while practicing in individual name should continue to use the same UCN even on forming sole proprietary concern (This may be mentioned in grey field). The UCN will be incorporated after due verification.

4. EXPERIENCE OF BANK AUDIT

The experience gained in the capacity of Articled/Audit Assistant or paid employee/assistant is not to be included while mentioning the audit experience in Question 5 of MEF.
The experience of Statutory Central Audit and Statutory Branch Audit of various banks (as per RBI guidelines) in a year would be considered as a one-year experience only.

5. SUBMISSION OF DECLARATION

For this year, the Declaration for the MEF will be sought from the member/ partners/ proprietor through validation of One Time Password (OTP) instead of scanned / digital signatures as was done in the past.
OTP will be sent to the Email-id and Mobile Number as registered in SSP of ICAI.
Any modification required in email or mobile number, has to be done in SSP only. No such changes would be allowed in MEF.
The Declaration will be valid only if OTP is validated by all the partners/ proprietor/ Member practicing in individual name. In case, even one partner has not validated, the MEF application will be rejected. However, in case of the partner(s) who has retired / left between 01.01.2020 till second verification* all such modifications have to be done through SSP of ICAI.
It is desirable that the draft MEF application before submission should be shared with all the partners internally for their perusal so that they are able to validate the declaration through OTP.

6. SUBMISSION OF FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

The Financial Documents are to be submitted by all the applicants of MEF (Firm and continuing Partners), failing which the application cannot be submitted.
The applicants are required to upload the Financial documents before the submission of MEF by clicking on the icon.
The following Financial Documents for Financial Year 2018-19 are to be submitted:
Partnership Firms:-
- Income Tax Return of the firm
- Statement of Computation of Total Income of the firm
- Balance Sheet as at 31^st March 2019 along with Schedules
- Income & Expenditure account along with schedules.
- Personal Income Tax Returns of the Partners.
- Statement of Computation of Total Income of the Partners.
Sole Proprietor / Individual practicing in individual name:-
- Income Tax Return
- Statement of Computation of Total Income
- Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2019 along with Schedules
- Income & Expenditure account of the Proprietary Concern / Individual along with schedules.
Applicants may be required to submit further details, if any by PDC.

7. FINAL PREPARATION OF PANEL FOR BANK AUDIT

In case any of the Partner(s) retires / leaves between 01.01.2020 and second verification* the same will be given effect. In other words, the credit will be given for continuing Partner(s) only.
The credit will not be given for those Partners who have joined after 01.01.2020, even through merger. However, credit for those partners will be given next year, if continuing in the same firm.
In case of any paid Chartered Accountant resigns between 01.01.2020 till second verification* and another paid Chartered Accountant joins during the same period, category will remain unchanged.
In case, the Firm is closed between 01.01.2020 till second verification*, the name of such firm will not be included in the panel.

8. FIRMS WITH COMMON PARTNERS

Out of the Multiple firms with Common Partners, one firm can apply for Bank Branch Auditors’ Panel while rest of the firms can apply for other Panels (other than Bank Branch Auditors’ Panel) by indicating their option as “Application for other than BBA Panel”. A unique number will be allotted to such firms.
In case, more than one firm has applied for BBA Panel, the firms other than the firm which wants to remain eligible for BBA Panel have to withdraw MEF for BBA. However, such firms will be considered for other Panels.

9. COMPLAINT FILING MECHANISM

For any clarification / query / complaint regarding MEF 2020-21, please lodge the same under the tab “MEF Complaint Entry” available at org for quick resolution.
Query/ complaint can be lodged by using MRN / FRN by the applicant and on successful lodge, a Complaint number will be displayed which can be used for future reference.
Applicant can view the status of complaints by using MRN/FRN.
In case, the complaint is not resolved within 5 working days, members can write at mefpdc@icai.in or call at 011-30110444 / 440 between 3 PM to 5 PM on all working days by quoting Complaint Number.

10. OTHERS

PDC hosts draft MEF Panel after due announcement so that the applicants can verify their category and other details. Any observation in the draft Panel can be brought to the notice of PDC through Complaint Module of MEF.
Applicant appointed as Statutory Branch Auditor cannot be associated with the same Bank or any of its subsidiaries/associates as Concurrent / Internal / Income and Expenditure / Revenue / Stock Auditor etc. of the bank/branch of banks. However, the applicants will be eligible for Statutory Branch Audit provided she/he resigns from the stated assignment (s).
The Institute reserves right to call for additional information / documents from the applicant as may be considered appropriate.
While all efforts are being taken in preparing the panel, in the event of any inadvertent mistake or omission, the Institute will not be responsible in any manner.
The Institute does not undertake any responsibility with regard to the allotment of audit.
Members are advised not to correspond directly with the authorities concerned like RBI, NABARD etc. on matters related to empanelment.

*Second verification: – It is the second verification of data done by PDC for finalization of panel which is normally done in the month of October/November.

Wish you all a happy MEF Filing!!