Company Secretaries are becoming an Important aspect of corporate
establishment.
During the last three decades the profession of Company Secretaries has
made its presence felt on the Indian corporate sector. Company Secretaries
have emerged as indispensable adjuncts to the corporate establishements.
Today the members of this profession occupy enviable positions in the
corporate hierarchy upto the level of chairman and managing director in
large public limited companies and corporations. The institute of Company
Secretaries of India is a premier professional body constituted under the
Company Secretaries Act, 1980 to developand regulate the profession of
Company Secretaries in India.
The Institute has its Headquarters at ICSI House, 22 Institutional Area,
Lodi Road, New Delhi and Regional Offices at Mumbai [WIRC, No. 13, Jolly
Maker Chambers No. II ( 1st Floor), Nariman Point, Mumbai- 400021],
Calcutta, New Delhi and Chennai and 36 Chapters located in various cities
all over India. The Institute has on its rolls over 13,500 qualified members
& nearly two lakh students pursuing the CS Course.
How to become a Company Secretary
To become a Company Secretary, that is a member of the ICSI, one must
pass the foundation intermediate and final examinations conducted by the
ICSI and undergo training arranged by the institute. A person who has
passed the final examination may enrol as a Licentiate ICSI at his/ her
option until completion of the practical training. After qualifying the final
and undergoing practical training, he/she becomes eligible t o be admitted
as associate member.
Education
The CS course is by correspondence with provision of optional oral coaching
classes. Admission is open throughout the year, examinations are held in
June and December at 52 examination centres spread all over India and one
overseas centre in Dubai. Foundation course is of 8 months duration;
fee is Rs 1,200. Entry: after 10+2 or equivalent (arts/science/
commerce stream except fine arts).
Cut-off dates are March 31 and September 30 for those who wish to appear
for the December & June examination respectively. Foundation course
provides basic and conceptual knowledge in - business communication;
business laws and management; principles of accountancy ; economics and
statistics.
Intermediate Course Entry
After foundation course or graduation (any discipline other than fine arts) or
CA/CWA. Cut-off dates: Last day of February/ August. Fees for
intermediate course for commerce students Rs 2,250 and for the
non-commerce course it is Rs 2,650. Intermediate course subjects
include general laws and procedures; personnel management & industrial
laws; tax laws; cost and management accounting; company law and
practice; economic & other legislations; Company accounts (theory and
practice).
Final Examination
Entry through intermediate vourse. Fee: Rs 1,500. Final level study
includes corporate tax management - direct taxes; corporate tax
management - indirect taxes; management control and information;
financial management; corporate laws & practice; secretarial and
management audit, etc.The Institute offers the facility of writing the
examination in English or Hindi.
Practical exposure
Students passing the intermediate and final examinations are required to
possess specifies practical experience and under go practical training where
the students donot possess the requisite experience.
Management /Apprenticeship Training
On-the-job management training for 15 months in recognised companies or
apprenticeship training for a period of one full year on a full-time basis or
two ears on a part-time basis under a company secretary in practice is the
requirement to be fulfilled. During training the effort is to develop managerial
abilities with a thrust on legal/ secretarial/ finance bias, problem solving
approach and insight into the emerging business environment and provide
extensive practical exposure of the various functions to be performed by a
CS.
Practical Training
In addition to Management/Apprenticeship training, students also undergo
practical training for three months in a recognised company which is not
required for those who have undergone 15 months management training,.
As part of practical training candidates also undergo 15 days practical
training in a specialised agency such as the Registrar of Companies, stock
exchange, financial or banking institution, or management consultancy firm.
Secretarial Modular Training Programme (SMTP)
Fifteen days SMTP compulsory designed by the Institute is meant for every
candidate passing the final examination of the Institute. The purpose is to
build a bridge between knowledge acquired so far and its application in
actual work situations with a view to develop a complete professional and
to enlarge his/her perspective.
Changing Profiles
MOU with the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators(ICSA),
UK Division offers CS the provision of appearing for three papers offered by
ICSA to pass the qualifying examinations conducted by ICSA, UK division.
Centre for Corporate Research & Training set up by ICSI at Navi Mumbai
aims to create a core of corporate professionals for corporate excelence.
MOU signed with National Law school of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore
recognised membership of the Institute as a Master's degree in Business Law
allowing members of the Institute to join the PhD course in National Law
School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore. · Post Membership
Qualification (PMQ) Course in capital Markets and Financial Services enables
members of ICSI to develop expertise of a high degree in the emerging
areas of capital markets and financial services. From time to time the
Institute revises its syllabus and training requirements to incorporate the
latest developments taking place both at the national and international
levels in the legal, economic and commercial environment.
Career prospects
Employment opportunities for a qualifies CS are in the private sector, public
sector, financial institutions, stock exchanges and even Central and State
governments. All companies seeking a listing on stock exchanges are reqired
to have a full-time CS. In case of a company with a paid-up capital of less
than Rs 50 lacs, a CS with an Intermediate pass is also eligible for
appointment. A CS acts as a confidant of the Board of Director, a vital link
between the company, Board of Directors, shareholders, governmental and
other regulatory agencies, the formulator of short term and long range
corporate policies, a registrar for the company. Member of the Institute may
also go in for independent practice and play a versatile professional role. In
the new millennium, the attention of the CS will be taken up also by issues
such as competition law, intellectual property, environment , mergers and
acquisitions, information technology and cyber laws & corporate governance,
focussed attention on investor relations, market exploration and sustaining
investors confidence and interest in the company, settlement of industrial
disputes through ADR methods.
