CAs can be Book Writers also besides being Book Keepers/Auditors….

An Open Letter to the Worthy Readers on the Encouraging & Overwhelming Response to My First Book titled “Guide to e-Assessment with Real-time Case Studies & Suggestive e-Submissions” with Taxmann Publications.

“No Body Can Stop an Idea Whose Time Has Come!!” - Victor Hugo

1.1         E-assessments: Dawn of a New Era!!

 “Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Advanced Data Analytics, Complex Algorithms based Automated Allocation System, Automated Examination Tool, Hash Function, Video Telephony and the list goes on……

No, any science fiction movie or any space science mission are not being talked about here. Only the ‘phraseology’ and ‘terminology’ being used in the recent Official Gazetted Notification No. SO 3264 issued by the Ministry of Finance on 12.9.2019, bringing to fore the ‘New Scheme of E-assessment 2019’, is being referred to here.

‘Welcome to the New Era of ‘Faceless’, ‘Jurisdiction-less’, ‘Paper-less’ and hopefully ‘Corruption-less’ E-assessments.”

Well, yes, this is the excerpt of the introductory para of my First Book, titled “Guide to e-Assessment with Real-time Case Studies & Suggestive e-Submissions” with the reputed Taxmann Publications, which I have recently penned down….

In the above opening lines of the Introductory Chapter No. 1 of my First Book, I have tried to capture the heart and soul of the much talked about ‘new scheme of faceless income-tax e-assessments’.

Incidentally, my First Book also happens to be the First Indian Book on the New Scheme of Faceless e-Assessments in Income Tax and currently it is trending among the #Amazon Top 5 Best-Sellers in Tax Laws.

In my articles, (which, with your love and blessings, have grown in number to more than 35 now), I have always spoken my heart and mind out, as a free-bird, without holding me back.

However, as I was writing a professional book this time, and not some motivational piece, so it was somewhere in my mind that my writing style has to be formal and structured only. But I being me, followed my heart, and took the liberty of pouring out my thoughts on paper, in a bit informal and free manner, and ended up even penning down some quotes, even my own ones, in each chapter of my professional Book….

Any good piece of ‘book-writing-work’ is the culmination of a lot of hard-work, passion, dedication and perseverance on the part of the author and also involves the selfless and invaluable contribution of many others who are directly or indirectly connected with him/her.

In my case also, my very first piece of ‘book-writing-work’ i.e. this present Book on ‘e-Assessments’ has become possible and has seen the light of the day only because of the selfless contribution and invaluable support, guidance and blessings of some very dear and special people in my life, and also my round the clock toiling and perspiring involving even some sleepless-nights.

And I am not complaining now…..The upbeat demand and the tremendous and overwhelming response from the worthy readers towards my first Book, is really very encouraging, motivating and satisfying, and has resulted in three Reprints of my Book within a month of its publication. 

I really wish to convey my sincere gratitude, regards and thanks, from the core of my heart, to all of You…

The New Scheme of faceless, jurisdiction-less and paper-less ‘e-Assessment 2019’ has been notified by the Ministry of Finance vide its Official Gazetted Notification No. SO 3264 (61/2019) dated 12.9.2019 and it has been made operational on pilot basis, w.e.f. AY 2018-19 onwards for conducting of the regular assessments in 58,322 cases, u/s 143(3)/143(3A) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

In the ‘New Scheme of faceless ‘e-Assessment 2019’, the conventional manual mode of conducting of regular assessments involving physical interface and verbal communication between the assessees and the assessing authorities has been completely done away with and all the communication/interface between the assessees and the assessing authorities shall be done electronically only via the ‘e-Proceedings’ utility in the registered ‘e-Filing’ accounts of the assessees.

So, to be fully familiar and conversant with the manner, mode and methodology of the conducting of ‘e-Assessments’ involving therein the viewing and retrieving of ‘e-scrutiny’ notices and requisitions in the registered ‘e-filing accounts’ as well as ‘e-filing’ and uploading of ‘e-responses’ to such requisitions, is no-longer a matter of personal discretion and choice for the assessees and tax practitioners, but it has become a statutory necessity and a compulsion.

The idea of this Book was coined by my Father who himself is a seasoned chartered accountant and is very knowledgeable and meticulous in the taxation field but due to his limited exposure of the new electronic mode of assessments, he felt a little handicapped and uncomfortable. So, when I helped him understand the practical aspects of ‘e-Assessments’, it was then, that he advised me to write a Book on this subject to help and support many others like him, and the fruitful result of his sound advice is this present Book on ‘e-Assessments’.

At this juncture, I quote my own quote penned down in my Book,

“To be curious is a good thing and to be able to satisfy someone’s curiosity is even better.”

‘Learning and improving is a continuous process’ and so honest and valuable suggestions and feedback on my first humble effort of penning down this Book, are invited and solicited from the ‘worthy readers’, at my email id [email protected] for further improvement.

                           “????? ???? ?????? ?????? | ?????? ??? ????? ??? ???????? ||”

          Knowledge multiplies manifold by sharing. It is a supreme form of wealth.

Before parting, my Heartfelt Message to all my Friends and Colleagues in our CA Family:

Don’t restrict your abilities and potentialities within the confinement of the four walls of conventional book-keeping/auditing jobs in 9 to 5 time frames. Instead, Go for your Dreams, Follow your Instincts and Persue Your Passions……as the popular movie title reads “Yeh Jindagi Na Milegi Dobara…….

         Warm Regards

                                                                                                  Mayank Mohanka