wat is dis--Accounting Technician Certificate???

Hey frns recent talk ICAI had introduced sum course named ATC----i think in may-08 newsletter, it xplained dat PCC students after completing 9 months of articleship can attempt three papers of PCC n remaing after completion of 18 months of articles............... scope is to make the xams easier//// But now it says that students who had completed PCC r PE-II and after completing articles can obtain Accounting Techician Certificate..........which may b used as degree? wat is da present fact regarding both of dem? firstly wat is ATC for? its procedure n scope? waiting for confident replies--------------many CPT students!!!!!!!!!!!1