CAREER GUIDE

Career As A Company Secretary
[Career As A Company Secretary]

CAREER AS A COMPANY SECRETARY

By Dr Amita Ahuja





CAREER AS A COMPANY SECRETARY is not only prestigious and financially rewarding but also carries with it a high level of job satisfaction.

Employment Prospects

* A qualified company secretary has openings in Employment and can also practice as an Independent Professional
* Pursuant to section 383A of the Companies Act, 1956, companies with a paid-up share capital of Rs. 5 crores or more are compulsorily required to appoint a whole time Company Secretary who must be a member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.

· All companies seeking listing on Stock Exchange are required to appoint a whole time company secretary

· Almost every kind of organization whose affairs are conducted by boards, councils or other corporate structures, be it a company, trust, association, federation, authority, commission or the like, finds it useful to appoint a person who holds the qualification of Company Secretaryship in key administrative position.

· Membership of the Institute is recognized for appointment to superior posts and services under Central Government.











Self-Employment/Practising Company Secretaries



· After obtaining a ‘Certificate of Practice’ from the Institute, Members of the Institute can go in for Independent Practice.

· Every company having a paid-up share capital of Rs. Ten Lakhs or more but less than Rs. five Crores is required to engage the services of a Secretary in Whole-Time Practice for issue of Compliance Certificate.

· Pursuant to Clause 49 of the Listing Agreement, Practising Company Secretaries have been authorized to issue Certificate regarding compliance of conditions of Corporate Governance as stipulated in the Clause.

· Practising Company Secretaries have also been recognized to appear before various Tribunals such as Company Law Board, Securities Appellate Tribunal, Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission, Competition Commission of India, Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal, Consumer Forums, Tax Tribunals etc.

· Recently, the Reserve Bank of India has recognized the Practising Company Secretaries to undertake Diligence Report for Banks.



“The Institute of Company Secretaries of India” (ICSI) is a premier National Professional body established by Act of Parliament to develop and regulate the Profession of Company Secretaries.



ICSI imparts training in Company Secretaryship by Distance Learning (by correspondence) enabling students to qualify as Company Secretaries. The Institute provides “Course Material” for all the subjects at the time of Registration. There is also provision for Optional Oral Coaching classes.



The Company Secretaryship Course: A course that transforms students into corporate professonals

Stages to become a Company Secretary:



The student who would like to join the Course after 10+2 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 students of Arts, Science or Commerce stream (Excluding Fine Arts)



Executive Programme can be pursued by a Graduate of all streams except Fine Arts.



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



Training Requirements

A student has to undergo 16 month Training in a company or under a Practising Company Secretary after passing the Executive Programme or Professional Programme. Students who possess prescribed practical experience can seek partial or total exemption from Training. Sponsorship for the Training is made by the Institute. The companies and the Practising Company Secretaries pay stipend during the training period. In addition every student is required to undergo 15 days Training in a specialized agency and 15 days Secretarial Modular Training Programme.



After qualifying the CS Professional Programme and on successful completion of Training, a candidate is enrolled as an Associate Member of the Institute and can use the descriptive title “ACS” after his/ her name.











ADMISSION TO THE CS COURSE is open throughout the year. Examinations are held twice a year in June & December. There is no minimum pass percentage requirement for admission.



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 December Exams in the

same year year

31st August for June Exam next year



For details website www.icsi.edu queries can be e mailed to info@icsi.edu



The CS Course is:

· recognized by the various Universities for admission to PhD Course

· appointment of Lecturers in Commerce & Management



SUBJECTS FOR CS PROGRAMME

There are 4 papers in CS Foundation Programme
There are 6 papers divided into 2 Modules in CS Executive Programme

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



SUBJECTS
Foundation Programme

( 4 papers)


* English & Business Communication

* Economics & Statistics

* Financial Accounting

* Elements of Business Laws and Management

Executive Programme [6 papers]

Module I

(3 papers)




* General and Commercial Laws

* Company Accounts, Cost & Management Accounting

* Tax Laws

Module II

(3 papers)






* Company Law

* Economic and Labour Laws

* Securities Law and Compliances


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









ICSI Introduces 24X7 Study through E-Learning: (http://elearning.icsi.edu)

In order to facilitate students, e-learning portal is available for the Company Secretary Foundation Programme which will also be extended to Executive Programme and Professional Programme in due course. Students through out the country including rural and semi-urban areas as well as from other countries can avail this 24x7 hours on-line study facility as the portal has global reach.

Under e-learning, students can have continuous access to studies and guidance of faculties on-line. The e-learning module will enable the students to have access to learning and faculty support at any time as per their convenience. Interactivity will be established by modules such as Discussion Boards and Online Chat. After the proposed virtual classroom facility under e-learning portal starts, students will be able to interact live with the faculty. This will take the CS course studies virtually into the space age.

Undergoing of e-learning is in addition and not in substitution to compulsory postal tuition. E-learning is designed to provide a virtual contact between the teacher and the taught. Students intending to join e-learning are therefore, required to pay additional fees as determined by the Institute from time to time.



ICSI - IGNOU MOU:

Specialised B.Com & M.Com courses for students & Members of Company Secretaryship

The Institute has been continuously endeavouring towards capacity building of its students and members. It is in this direction, The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Under this MOU, IGNOU offers a specialized B.Com Course with major in Corporate Affairs and Administration and specialized M.Com Course in Business Policy and Corporate Governance exclusively for the students of Company Secretaryship and Members of the ICSI.



MOU with ICSA, London

The ICSI and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, UK (ICSA) after satisfying the high standards of examination and appreciating each others activities in promoting the best practices in Company Secretaryship and professional education & administration signed an MOU which provides for reciprocal exemptions on mutual basis. Members of ICSI are exempted from passing 14 out of 17 papers and are required to pass the following three core papers to acquire the membership of ICSA:

• Corporate Law

• Corporate Secretaryship

• Corporate Administration

Members of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, in good standing for a period of two years, can avail of the benefit of the MOU.

MOU between ICSI & SII,