Company Secretary course is one of the most sought after management professional qualification in the market. The course is designed to make people with strong willpower and dream to become a valued asset to an organisation. Company Secretary is the compliance officer of the company who will be looked upon by management for expert advices on legal matters. People outside the organisation looks on Company Secretary to ensure that the company is managed well as per the law of the land. Government ensure through a company secretary that the company is manged well keeping the interests of all stake holders.
While looking on the profile of the job and status enjoyed by the company secretaries, it is an enviable career option. But it is real that the course is little hard to crack unless it is your dream. While we compare with other possible courses which a student can opt as a career option, company secretary course is less marketed course. The course designed in such a way that learning is accompanied by professional trainings.
CS or Company Secretary is one of the most sought after jobs by the people that have some background in finance and accounting. Defined as a profile that is responsible for managing all the highest level financial and general planning of companies and ensuring that a company runs as per the laws, CS is one awesome JOB! However, to acquire this awesome job, you have to take and pass some really hard papers. And, if it is not enough, you have to fulfil some professional working requirements as well.
Opportunities for a CS
As per various legislations the position and qualification on Company Secretary is accepted as an expert qualification in business compliance. Company secretary is considered as an expert who can guide a business organisation to run as per law.
Companies Act 2013 specifically have a mandatory provision that, a company with 10 crore paid up capital should have a whole time company secretary. This itself is not able to catered by the number of available company secretaries in the market. In addition to this , as per UGC guidelines, Company Secretary qualification is considered as one of the academic qualification for the position of Asst. Professor to Head of the Department in a management college.
In addition to this, there is ample opportunity for a company secretary to be in active independent practice.
There is no scarcity of job for a student who successfully complete the course, and salary in the market is also above average. There are lot of opportunities abroad also for a Company Secretaries.
But the real challenge a student to face is proper coaching. The most important aspect of cracking the course is the selection of best coaching centre. It is always best to select a specialist centre, rather than a centre which treat CS is one among many course. Coaching under experienced coaches will help you to come out with exception.
Become a CS
Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is an authority created with an act of parliament called Company Secretaries Act, 1980 to confer the qualification of Company Secretary. ICSI is the sole governing body for conducting Company Secretaries exams. The Application for the admission can made through online. www.smash.icsi.in is the website for submitting application.
Course details and stages
Entire CS course is divided into three stages
CS Executive Entrance Test – CSEET
CS Executive course
CS professional course.
CS Executive Entrance Test – CSEET
The entrance is introduced in the place of CS Foundation examination.
This is mandatory for anybody who is desirous to pursue the career of company secretary.
The registration is online and can be done just after plus two. Even a plus two appearing student, who is waiting for results can apply for the CSEET with hall ticket.
There is no exemption based on qualification for appearing in CSEET, that means, a graduate or post graduate have to pass through CSEET process, if they want to pursue this course. There is a nominal exemption for fully qualified CA and CMA, as they can take exemption from CSEET by paying a fee of Rs. 5000/-
CSEET will be conducted four times a year and contain four papers.
The exam pattern will be online.
CSEET exam pattern and marks per paper
Subjects under CSEET:
Paper 1: Business Communication (50 marks)
Paper 2: Legal Aptitude and Logical Reasoning (50 marks)
Paper 3: Economic and Business Environment (50 marks)
Paper 4: Current Affairs, Presentation and Communication Skills (Viva Voce) (50 marks)
Viva voce will also be online which will test the candidates listening skills, presentation skills etc.
CSEET exam Schedule
Executive Program:
After successfully completing CSEET one can apply for admission to the Second level of CS education, Executive program. This is one of the core stage of the course, complete dedication is expected with a planned approach to clear this stage. This stage lays down the foundation for the career as company secretaries. As this is a tough stage to crack proper coaching and focussed study is expected and for students who looks on CS course as their dream, this will not be a big problem.
The examinations will be conducted in June and December every year.
Cut off dates for executive examinations are as follows
28th of February for appearing in both modules in December exams the same year.
31st of May for appearing one module in the December exams the same year.
31st of August for appearing in both modules in the June exam in the next year.
30th November for appearing in one module in June exams the next year.
CS Executive Syllabus
MODULE 1
Paper – 1 Jurisprudence, Interpretation & General Laws
Paper – 2 Company Law
Paper – 3 Setting up of Business Entities and Closure
Paper – 4 Tax Laws
MODULE 2
Paper – 5 Corporate & Management Accounting
Paper – 6 Securities Laws & Capital Markets
Paper – 7 Economic, Business and Commercial Laws
Paper – 8 Financial and Strategic Management
There are two modules in Executive stages with four papers each. So there are total eight papers. 5 papers are core law papers with three law with application papers.
Professional Program:
The candidates who pass the Executive Program are allowed to take the final stage exams that form the Professional Program. This stage contains different types of papers with an option for a specialisation. For a student who have completed the executive program, cracking of professional course will not be a herculean task as they have a good foundation and basic skill. The course is predominantly of practical aspects of different laws.
MODULE 1
Advanced Company Law and Practice
Secretarial Audit, Compliance Management and Due Diligence
Corporate Restructuring, Valuation, and Insolvency
MODULE 2
Information Technology and Systems Audit
Financial, Treasury and Forex Management
Ethics, Governance and Sustainability
MODULE 3
Advanced Tax Laws and Practice
Drafting, Appearances and Pleadings
Electives (Under Module 3) 1 out of bellow 5 Subjects –
Banking Law and Practice
Capital, Commodity and Money Market
Insurance Law and Practice
Intellectual Property Rights – Law and Practice
International Business-Laws and Practices
Artha Institute of Management is one of the leading CS dedicated coaching centre, we provide online CSEET coaching and offline Executive. For professional the coaching is provided as is needed basis, like offline or online.
Mandatory training
There is a mandatory training for CS course. The training need to be started just after passing CS executive level. The training is divided into three levels
One month Executive Development Program
21 months practical on the job training under a Practicing Company Secretary or a company which is approved for the purpose by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
Two months residential Corporate leadership Development Program -CLDP arranged by ICSI.
The student can pursue their professional programme while undergoing the 21 months practical training, so they can complete the entire course within 3 years and pass out as a qualified company secretary.