CAREER AS COMPANY SECRETARY

CAREER AS A COMPANY SECRETARY
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)

The Company Secretary is:

  • An in-house legal expert; a compliance officer of the Company.
  • An expert in corporate laws, securities laws & capital market and corporate governance
  • Chief advisor to the board of directors on best practices in corporate governance
  • Responsible for all regulatory compliances of company
  • Corporate planner and strategic manager

Role of a Company Secretary

A Company Secretary being multidisciplinary professional renders services in the following areas:

Corporate Governance and Secretarial Services

  • Corporate Governance Services
  • Corporate Secretarial Services
  • Secretarial/ Compliance Audit and certification Services

Corporate Laws Advisory and Representation Services

  • Corporate Laws Advisory Services
  • Representation Services
  • Arbitration & Conciliation Services

Financial Market Services

  • Public Issue, listing and Securities Management
  • Takeover Code, Insider trading, Mergers & Amalgamation
  • Securities Compliance and Certification Services
  • Finance & Accounting Services
  • Taxation Services
  • International Trade & WTO Services

Management Services

  1. General/ Strategic Management
  2. Corporate Communication and Public Relations
  3. Human Resources Management
  4. Information Technology
EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS

A qualified Company Secretary has openings in Employment and as Practising Independent Professional

Company Secretary in Employment

  • Company Secretary has been recognized as Key Managerial Personnel along with the Chief Executive Officer/managing director/manager, whole-time director and Chief Financial Officer. (section 203)
  • Being Key Managerial Personnel, Company Secretary is required to be mandatorily appointed in every company belonging to such class or classes of companies as may be prescribed.
  • As per the Rule 8 of Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, such prescribed class is every listed company and every other public company having a paid-up share capital of ten crore rupees or more shall have whole-time key managerial personnel.
  • Also as per Rule 8A, i.e. Appointment of Company Secretaries in companies not covered under rule 8.—A company other than a company covered under rule 8 which has a paid up share capital of five crore rupees or more shall have a whole-time company secretary.
  • Functions of the company secretary have been codified in the Companies Act, which include:-
    • to report to the Board about compliance with the provisions of this Act, the rules made there under and other laws applicable to the company;
    • to ensure that the company complies with the applicable secretarial standards;
    • to provide to the directors of the company, collectively and individually, such guidance as they may require, with regard to their duties, responsibilities and powers; and
    • to assist and advise the Board in ensuring good corporate governance and in complying with the corporate governance requirements and best practices ;
    • other specified functions

Company Secretary in Practice

Some of the important areas of recognition for Company Secretary in Practice include:

  • Secretarial Audit
    • Every listed company and (a) every public company having a paid-up share capital of 50 crore rupees or more; or (b) every public company having a turnover of 250 crore rupees or more shall annex a Secretarial Audit Report with its Boards report given by company secretary in practice in Form No. MR-3;
  • Pre-certification of e-forms;
  • Duty to report fraud;
  • Appointment as Administrator (Section 259);
  • Company Liquidators (Section 275);
  • Professional assistance to Company Liquidator (Section 291);
  • Qualifications of Tribunal (Section 409);
  • Adjudication of penalties (Section 454);

Company Secretaries in Practice also render services in the following areas:

  1. Legal, Secretarial and Corporate Governance
  2. Corporate Restructuring
  3. Foreign Collaborations and Joint Ventures
  4. Arbitration and Conciliation
  5. Financial Management
  6. Project Planning
  7. Capital Market and Investor Relations
  8. Due Diligence
  9. Corporate Advisory Services
  10. SEBI Act, SCRA and regulations made there under Depositories Act, 1996
  11. Exim Policy etc.

Course Highlights:

  1. 10+2 pass or equivalent / Graduate can join
  2. No Entry Barrier opportunity for every student
  3. Cost Effective
  4. Distance Learning any where in the world
  5. 24x7 study through e-learning
  6. Flexibility in the schedules Registration valid for 3 to 5 years.
  7. Excellent career opportunities for CS professional
  8. Position of Power and Prestige
  9. Offers Self Employment and Job Opportunities
  10. Direct Access to Top Management / Board Room
  11. Good remuneration and growth opportunities
  12. Good career option for girls also.
  13. Opportunities across various sectors at all locations.
  14. Opportunities Abroad MOU with ICSA, London
  15. Opportunity to pursue B.Com with Major in Corporate Affairs and Administration and M.Com in Business Policy and Corporate Governance from IGNOU.

Stages to become a Company Secretary:

The student who would like to join the Course after 10+2 pass or equivalent has to undergo three stages to pursue the Company Secretaries Course i.e.
Foundation Programme
Executive Programme
Professional Programme

The Student who would like to join the Course after passing the Graduation has to undergo two stages of the Company Secretaryship i.e.
Executive Programme
Professional Programme

Foundation Programme which is of eight months duration can be pursued by 10+2 pass or equivalent students of Arts, Science or Commerce stream (Excluding Fine Arts)

Executive Programme can be pursued by a Graduate of all streams except Fine Arts / CPT passed of ICAI / Foundation Program passed of ICAI-CMA .

Professional Programme can be pursued only after clearing the Executive Programme of CS Course

ADMISSION TO THE CS COURSE is open throughout the year. Examinations are held twice a year in June & December.Students have to register online at www.icsi.edu

Cut off dates for admission to CS course: .

For Foundation Programme

31st March for appearing in December Examination in the same year

30th September for June Examination next year

For Executive Programme

28th February for appearing in both modules in December Exams in the same year

31st May for appearing in single module in December Examination in the same year

31st August for appearing in both modules in June Exam in the next year

30th November for appearing in single module in June Examination in the next year.
SUBJECTS FOR CS COURSE

There are 4 papers in CS Foundation Programme

There are 7 papers divided into 2 Modules in CS Executive Programme (New Syllabus wef. 01.02.2013)

There are 8 papers divided into 4 Modules in CS Professional Programme

SUBJECTS

Foundation Programme [4 papers]

  • Business Environment & Entrepreneurship
  • Business Management, Ethics and Communication
  • Business Economics
  • Fundamentals of Accounting and Auditing

Executive Programme [7papers]

Module I
(4papers)
  • Company Law
  • Cost and Management Accounting
  • Economic and Commercial Laws
  • Tax Laws and Practice

Module II
(3 papers)
  • Company Accounts and Auditing Practices
  • Capital Markets and Securities Laws
  • Industrial, Labour and General Laws

Professional Programme [8 papers]

Module I
(2 papers)

  • Company Secretarial Practice
  • Drafting, Appearances and Pleadings

Module II
(2 papers)
  • Financial, Treasury and Forex Management
  • Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency

Module III
(2 papers)
  • Strategic Management, Alliances and International Trade
  • Advance Tax Laws and Practices

Module IV
(2 papers)
  • Due Diligence and Corporate Compliance Management
  • Governance, Business Ethics and Sustainability

Professional Program ( new syllabus w.e.f. 1st September 2013 )

MODULE 1

1. Advanced Company Law and Practice

2. Secretarial Audit, Compliance Management and Due Diligence

3. Corporate Restructuring, Valuation and Insolvency

MODULE 2

4. Information Technology and Systems Audit

5. Financial, Treasury and Forex Management

6. Ethics, Governance and Sustainability

MODULE 3

7. Advanced Tax Laws and Practice

8. Drafting, Appearances and Pleadings

9. Electives 1 out of below 5 subjects

9.1. Banking Law and Practice

9.2. Capital, Commodity and Money Market

9.3. Insurance Law and Practice

9.4. Intellectual Property Rights - Law and Practice

9.5. International Business-Laws and Practices

Fee Structure for CS Course

CS Foundation Programme Rs.4500/-
CS Executive Programme Rs.12,500/- for Commerce Graduates / CPT passed of ICAI / Foundation passed of ICAI-CMA
Rs 10,000/- for Non Commerce Students
Rs 8,500/- for CS Foundation passed students
CS Professional Programme Rs.12,000/-

Examination

  1. Examination is conducted twice a year in June and December
  2. Examination fee

/media/student/careerascompanysecretary/tabid/1584/ctl/edit/mid/6051/Untitled-1_clip_image001_0000.gifFoundation Programme - Rs. 1200/-
Executive Programme - Rs. 1200/- per Module
Professional Programme -Rs. 1200/- per Module

Last date for submission of application for appearing in the examination

25th March (with late fee of Rs. 250/- till 9th April)

25th September (with late fee of Rs. 250/- till 10th October)

Medium of Examination

The Institute allows facility to students to appear in examination in English as well as in Hindi. (Except Business Communication subject of Foundation Program)

Qualifying Marks

A candidate is declared to have passed the Foundation / Executive / Professional examination, if he/she secures at one sitting a minimum of 40% marks in each paper and 50% marks in the aggregate of all subjects.

Time limit for completing CS Examination

A student is required to complete the Executive and the Professional examination within the registration period. However, on payment of requisite fees the validity of registration may be renewed / extended for further period subject to fulfilling the applicable guidelines.

Existing Practical experience and training requirements
The students are required to undergo the following trainings:

  1. 8 days Executive Development Programme (EDP) - after passing the Executive Programme and before commencement of 15 months training.
  2. 24 hours of Professional Development Programme (PDP) during 15 months training
  3. 15 months training after passing the Executive Programme or Professional Programme on completion of Student Induction Program and Executive Development Program with companies and Company Secretaries in Practice registered with the Institute for imparting training
  4. 3 months practical training is required to be undergone by the student if the student completes professional program examination and exempted from undergoing at least 12 months training on the basis of Company Secretaries Regulations,1982, as amended on submitting the documents to the Institute and fulfills the requirement of Regulation 48. This training will be exempted to the students who have undergone 15 months training.
  5. 15 days training in a specialized agency such as Registrar of Companies (ROC) / Stock Exchange / Financial and Banking Institution/Management Consultancy Firm can only be commenced if the student completes SIP,EDP , 15 months training and having passed professional program examination.
  6. 15 days Management Skills Orientation Programme (MSOP)- after Professional Programme and on completion of Executive Development Program and 15 months training
  1. The students can be exempted from undergoing training totally or partially depending on the practical experience possessed by them on fulfilling the requirement of the Company Secretaries Regulations,1982, as amended, on submitting the relevant documents.
  2. A student after passing the Professional Programme may enroll as Licentiate ICSI at his/her option until completion of training requirements.

MEMBERSHIP

q After qualifying the CS Professional Programme and on completion of training as provided under the CS Regulations, a candidate is enrolled as an Associate Member of the Institute and he can use the descriptive title ACS” after his / her name.

Further Academic Pursuits

  1. The CS course is recognised by the various Universities for admission to Ph.D Course.
  2. Utilisation of services of members by various professional/educational bodies for academic activities
  3. ICSI conducts Post Membership Qualification (PMQ) Course in Corporate Governance.

Placement

The Headquarters and Regional Offices offer placement services to the Members of the Institute:

  1. Names of candidates are sponsored to prospective employers on request
  2. Members looking for job may register online on the Institutes Website: www.icsi.edu for availing Placement assistance.
  3. Vacancies received from companies are also displayed on the website www.icsi.edu
  4. Campus Interviews are conducted to assist members for job and students for 15 months training
Financial Assistance/ Scholarship

Prizes, Merit Scholarship and Merit-cum-Means Assistance

  1. The Institute awards Prizes, merit scholarships to the meritorious students
  2. Merit-cum-Means Assistance is granted to the economically weaker students
Concession in Registration fee
  • Applicants belonging to SC/ST are required to pay only half the Registration fees
  • Physically Handicapped Students are required to pay the Registration fee as follows:
  • Foundation Programme: Rs.1500/-
  • Executive Programme: Rs. 2000/-
  • Professional Programme: Nil

ICSI Students Education Fund Trust

The Council of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India has revised the criteria of Financial Assistance to economically backward and academically bright students by providing total fee exemption through ICSI Students Education Fund Trust. The revised criteria will cater to larger nos. of prospective students / CS Students in providing financial assistance With a view to encourage and motivate economically backward and academically bright students to pursue the Company Secretaries Course, the Institute has created a Trust viz. ICSI Students Education Fund Trust. The Students falling in the following revised criteria can avail the ICSI Students Education Fund Trust benefits for ICSI Foundation and Executive Programme:

STAGE

CATEGORIES OF STUDENTS / ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Economically backward students with good academic records

Academically Bright Students

For Students with Family Income up to Rs.1,00,000 per annum

For Academically bright Students without any limit on their Family Income

Foundation Programme

Minimum 65% Marks ( or equivalent CGPA ) in both Matriculation ( Class X ) & Senior Secondary ( Class XII) Stages

Minimum 85% Marks (or equivalent CGPA ) in both Matriculation (Class X ) & Senior Secondary (Class XII) Stages

Executive Programme

Minimum 65% Marks ( or equivalent CGPA ) in both Matriculation ( Class X ) & Senior Secondary ( Class XII ) Stages and 60% Marks in Bachelors Degree Stage / or 65% marks in aggregate in CPT of ICAI / or 65% marks in aggregate in Foundation exam of ICAI-CMA

Minimum 85% Marks ) or equivalent CGPA ) in both Matriculation ( Class X ) & Senior Secondary ( Class XII) Stages and 70% Marks in Bachelors Degree Stage / or 75% marks in aggregate in CPT of ICAI / or 75% marks in aggregate in Foundation exam of ICAI-CMA

Nature and Extent of Financial Assistance: Eligible students shall be fully exempted from paying the Registration / Admission Fee, Postal Tuition Fee, Exemption Fee and other fees usually payable at the time of admission to Foundation/ Executive Programmes.

Depending upon their performance in the CS Examinations, the students may also be exempted from payment of Examination Fee and also the fees payable at the time of admission to Executive Programme and Professional Programme (for students admitted to Foundation Programme) and Professional Programme (for students admitted to Executive Programme).

Please note that under all above mentioned provisions, student concerned is firstly required to make the full payment of the requisite fees and then submit his/her claim for refund in the prescribed application form. If found eligible, his/her fees will be refunded.

Registration of students (Online at www.icsi.edu):


Online registration facility is available at Institutes student portal www.icsi.edu Students are advised to follow the instructions carefully. The fee can be remitted through Debit/Credit Cards /Net Banking facility.

After filling the particulars, making the payment of fees and uploading the scanned copies of desired documents, the system gives the Registration Number instantly.

On completion of registration as a student, the Registration Number will be intimated to the student through E-Mail and/or SMS. Students may also check the registration status at www.icsi.edu on the basis of Application Number, Mobile Number, E-mail Id, etc. Students can download the Registration Letter, Important Instructions, etc. through Institutes website www.icsi.edu by entering the Registration Number received through E-Mail/SMS.
Steps for Online Registration:

1. Click the Online Services” button on top of the ICSI website (www.icsi.edu)
2. Go to the Students tab and click on Student Registration”
3. Click onto the checklist of documents as applicable to students on the basis of their qualification,
4. Now Click on Proceed to Registration
5. Select the Course type as applicable viz. Foundation, Executive Programme etc.
6. Fill other fields.
7. Click on the option-Make Payment for effecting necessary payments. ( Payment is to be made either by credit/debit card /net banking or through bank challan system)
8. After making payment students shall get user name & password at their registered e-mail ID / or Mobile No. for uploading their documents. Username of the student is Students Registration Number” which students get instantly after making payment.
9. Students are further required to upload scanned copies of the documents in support of their qualifications in specified file formats by login at their respective accounts at My Account” option to get their registration process completed.


NOTE: Animated help to do online registration is also available on www.icsi.edu before student proceeds for online registration.

Attention:-
Before Proceeding to registration form please make sure that you are ready with the softcopy of the documents mentioned on this page.
    ü Photograph of the candidate
    ü Signature of the candidate
    ü DOB Certificate (10th Pass Certificate)
    ü Roll Number (if appearing)
    ü Qualification Passed Certificate
    ü Category Certificate

Guidelines:
    Ø All the files should be present in one of the following formats (jpg, jpeg, png, gif, bmp).
    Ø The maximum allowed file size is 5 MBs.
    Ø File size of student photo should be between 20kb - 50kb.
    Ø File Size of student signature should be between 10kb - 20kb.

ICSI - IGNOU Course
BACHELOR OF COMMERCE (B.COM) WITH MAJOR IN CORPORATE AFFAIRS AND ADMINISTRATION
Eligibility for Admission:
(a) 10 + 2 or its equivalent ; and
(b) Registration in Company Secretaryship, Foundation Programme.
Students who have passed Company Secretaryship Intermediate/Executive Programme Course shall also be eligible for admission.
Medium of Instruction: English and Hindi.
Fee Structure: Rs. 4800/-
Programme Structure: This programme comprises of:

  • 4 courses of Bachelor Degree Programme (BDP) programme of IGNOU,
  • 4 courses of Foundation Programme of Company Secretaryship and
  • 6 courses of Executive Programme of Company Secretaryship.

Duration of the Programme: Minimum 3 years and maximum 6 years

MASTER OF COMMERCE (M.COM) IN BUSINESS POLICY AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Eligibility for Admission:
(a) Graduate in any discipline or equivalent qualifications from a recognized University/Institute.
(b) Passed in Company Secretaryship Executive Programme.
Candidates who have already passed the Company Secretaryship course shall also be eligible for admission.
Programme Structure: The programme consists of:

  • 4 courses from the existing M.Com. programme offered by IGNOU
  • 8 courses of Company Secretaryship Professional Programme offered by ICSI.

Medium of Instruction: English and Hindi.
Fee Structure: Rs. 6000/-

Duration of the Programme: Minimum 2 years and a maximum period of 5 years.
OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD FOR CS
Many Company Secretaries are already working in various countries like the US, Canada, UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Middle-east, Africa, etc. With their research and legal bent of mind, their employers have recognized their professional skill sets. They also possess managerial capabilities and analytical skills.
After the globalisation of services through WTO and GATS, the field is opening in various countries for practicing Company Secretaries as well. India is entering into bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements with countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Mauritius etc. These agreements recognize Company Secretaries for free movement of professionals across borders. ICSI has entered into an MoU with the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, UK. This MoU recognizes Company Secretaries of both the countries on certain conditions. The process of globalisation and the process of comprehensive economic cooperation that India is initiating has also set in motion mutual recognition agreements between the ICSI and Institutes governing the profession in various other countries. This is opening up the world to Company Secretaries.