How to Become a Company Secretary?
General

How to Become a Company Secretary?

4 Mins read

To become a Company Secretary (CS) in India is a uniform process prescribed and regulated by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). This journey entails the candidate undergoing education programs. Choose and complete required examinations and undertake mandatory training. In this blog, we will discuss the current course curriculum scenario, which has been described in detail, along with the steps to become a company secretary in India.

Steps to Become a Company Secretary

Step 1: Understanding the Role of a Company Secretary

An overview of the role of a CS needs to be outlined before the beginning of CS journey, in order to avoid confusion. An effective Company Secretary makes sure that the company is operationally legal and conforming to regulatory and other procedural laws. It is involved in corporate governance and legal requirements and could act as an advisor to the board of any corporation. That is why the profession involves great authority and knowledge of corporate law, good organizational skills and a passion for dealing only with everything that is legal and avoiding all the manifestations of dishonesty and cheating.

Step 2: Enroll the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)

The first thing that is needed to become a CS is to enrol with the ICSI, which is the only body recognized in India for the CS course. Registration depends on your current level of education:

  • After Class 12: It requires that candidates register for the Foundation Programme.
  • After Graduation: Candidates can directly register for the Executive Programme, bypassing the Foundation stage.

Step 3: Clear the Foundation Program (For Class 12 Students)

Special conditions apply to students who get registered after completing Class 12, and they have to undertake the Foundation Programme first. This introductory stage covers basic topics such as:

  • Business Environment
  • Business Laws
  • Accounting
  • Economics and Statistics

The Foundation exams are offered in June and December. Students have to go through the suggested course, cover all the information, and take and pass their tests before moving on to the next stage.

Step 4: Enroll in the Executive Programme

The Second stage of the course is the Executive Programme. It is open to candidates who pass the foundation programme, or the graduates can enrol directly. The syllabus is more specialized and includes subjects such as:

  • Company Law
  • Securities laws and capital Markets
  • Economic and Commercial Laws
  • Tax Laws

Exams for the Executive Programme are conducted twice a year. Each of the mentioned modules has to be passed in order to proceed to the next one.

Step 5: Complete the Executive Development Programme (EDP)

The Executive Programme is another part of the process which must be cleared by the candidates; once the candidates were through with this programme, they have to complete an Executive Development Programme (EDP). This is a short-term training which aims at the profession and is intended to provide candidates with practical training.

Step 6: Undergo Practical Training

Another important part of the CS course is the part of the course called practical training, where the student gets a taste of the business world. Candidates must complete a 21-month training period under:

  • A practising Company Secretary, or
  • An enterprise enrolled with ICSI for training

This training enables the candidates to put into practice what they have been taught practically in issues related to compliance audits, board meeting preparations, and filings with the regulatory bodies.

Step 7: Professional Programme and the Process of Enrollment

This part of the CS course is the Professional Programme, which a candidate can pursue while on practical training. The syllabus focuses on advanced topics, including:

  • Corporate Restructuring
  • Corporate governance, Risk management and compliance
  • Secretarial Audit
  • Combined, operational cultures of organizations often include a multidisciplinary focus on case studies.

Any intending candidate aspiring to become a member of ICSI must have successfully completed all the modules in the Professional Programme.

Step 8: Attend the Management Skills Orientation Programme (MSOP)

It is important for the candidates who have finished the Professional Programme and practical training to proceed to the Management Skills Orientation Programme (MSOP). This program enables candidates to polish their managerial and technical competencies to an acceptable standard to handle the duties of the Company Secretary.

Step 9: Membership with ICSI

The candidates also can apply for membership once they have received all the stages of education and training that is in ICSI. Once approved, they are accorded an ACS tag, making them fully qualified Company Secretaries.

Additional Information

  • Timeframe: As for candidates who have joined the College after their 12th standard, normally it takes 3- 5 years to finish the course. It may take graduates 2-3 years to complete this path, depending on their success rate.
  • Examination Schedule: ICSI exams are held in June and December.
  • Cost: The cost of the course is quite inexpensive for the given type of professional program, and there are different fees for each period of the course, as well as extra expenses on training and manuals.

Career Opportunity for a Company Secretary

Company Secretary Course signifies a flexible employment opportunity in the corporate, government, and consultancy areas. Internationally, a CS plays a critical role within the organisation as the board’s strategic advisor on issues of law and regulation. They also can open their practices, which provide such services as secretarial audits and corporate restructuring. Further, we have seen that CS professionals are highly in demand in consulting firms and regulatory bodies like SEBI & RBI, etc., and it is more of an option with a very good pay package and job opportunities.

Conclusion

The path to becoming a CS might not always be a smooth one, but often, getting to the place leads to a better job, more money, and more respect in that field. The path might not always be a smooth one, but often getting to the place leads to a better job, more money, and more respect in that field.

166 posts

About author
A Lawyer by profession and a writer by passion, my expertise extends to creating insightful content on topics such as company, GST, accounts payable, and invoice. Expertise in litigation, legal writing, legal research.
Articles
Related posts
General

How to Open an NPS Account Online?

4 Mins read
General

Karnataka One Portal - Registration Process and Services Offered

6 Mins read
General

How to Become a Millionaire in India 2025?

4 Mins read