Somebody asked me about what to pursue after doing a company secretary course. I thought to write in details about it on my blog.
What is a company secretary: A company Secretary or CS is a person who looks after overall compliance of an organisation , a corporate organisation (i.e. company) in India. They looks after filing all necessary returns as per the Registrar of the Companies, who keep records of annual general meeting of the company, who ensures that the company is keeping all the records and complying all the provisions of Companies Act 1956 and also various accounting standard of the ICAI. They also play vital role when company is listed in the stock exchange.
What qualification do I need to have to be a Company Secretary
You must be a CS (Company Secretary) from ICSI.
Which college offer CS course?
There is no college for this course. This is a chartered, distance learning course.
How to become a CS?
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.
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.
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 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 (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.9000/- 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
Foundation 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.
ICSI ORAL TUITION GUIDELINES / PPP GUIDELINES:
Salient features of the Oral Tuition Guidelines & PPP Guidelines: Under the revised guidelines 30 lectures of 2 hours duration for each subject of Foundation / 35 lectures of 2 hours duration for each subject of Executive / 40 lectures of 2 hours duration for each subject of Professional Programme has been made mandatory
Existing Practical experience and training requirements
The students are required to undergo the following trainings:
1. 7 days Student Induction Programme (SIP)- within six months of Registration to Executive Programme or exempted therefrom for becoming eligible to seek enrolment to appear in Executive Program Examination.
2. 70 hours compulsory computer training program- for becoming eligible to seek enrolment to appear in Executive Program Examination.
3. 8 days Executive Development Programme (EDP) - after passing the Executive Programme and before commencement of 15 months training.
4. 25 hours of Professional Development Programme (PDP) during 15 months training
5. 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
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
What is the average salary for a CS?
A CS fresher gets minimum starting salary of Rs. 4 lakhs p.a. , a CS + LLB gets slightly higher salary and same is the case for a CA + LLB. If you have cleared it in first attempt or a rank holder, your salary will be much higher.
What other courses should I do alongwith the CS or after CS?
the best combination is a CA + CS or ICWA / CMA + CS or LLB + CS. You may also decide to opt MBL (Master of Business Law).
Master of Business Law course is available in distance as well as in full time mode. It is available with National Law University, Jodhpur and other universities.
You can also pursue M.Com Corporate Secretaryship both in distance and full time mode from IGNOU as well as Madras
PhD after CS: Yes, it is possible. You do not need to pursue MBA or a PG degree as almost 55 universities in India recognize CS as equivalent to a post graduation degree. Please see the list below.
LIST OF UNIVERSITIES WHICH HAVE RECOGNISED THE COMPANY
SECRETARYSHIP QUALIFICATION AS EQUIVALENT TO POST
GRADUATE DEGREE FOR PURSUING PH.D COURSE.
SL. NO
NAME OF UNIVERSITY
REFERENCE
SUBJECTS
1.
Sardar Patel University
Vallabh Vidyanagar
Gujarat - 388 120
D:A:4/1/8209
dated- 26.12.1980
Click Here
Commerce
2.
South Gujarat University
University Campus
Udhana-Magdalia Road
Surat - 395 007.
A/Eli/Equi/17388
dated 18/23.2.1981
Click Here
Open recognition
3.
Maharshi Dayanand University,
Rohtak,
Haryana - 124 001
AC-III/R81/2375
dated 28.2.1981
Click Here
Commerce and allied subjects
4.
Guru Nanak Dev University
Amritsar,
Punjab - 143 005
Gen/Recog/8130
Dated 23.4.1981
Click Here
Commerce
5.
University of Poona
Ganeshkhind
Pune - 411 007
Maharastra
Elg/4251
dated 16/19.6.1981
(Revised Rules for the degree of PhD – 2009)
Click Here
Commerce / Law / Management
Commerce
6.
Punjab University, Chandigarh – 160014.
4416/GM
dated 31.3.1983
Click Here
Business Management / Commerce
7.
Nagpur University,
Ravindra Nath Tagore Marg,
Nagpur,
Maharashtra-440 001
Exam./Recog./5591
dated 21.9.1983
Click Here
Commerce
8.
Chaudhary Charan Singh University Meerut
Uttar Pradesh - 250 005.
Proceeding of the Meeting of Equivalence Committee held on 8.12.83
Click Here
Commerce
9.
Mangalagangothri Mangalore - 574 199
MU/ACC/Ph.D/22 84-85 (A5)
dated 31.7.1985
Click Here
Open recognition
10.
Thiruvananthapuram Kerala 695 034
Acad.C-3/2034/85
(Recogn.) dated 7.8.1985
Click Here
Commerce
11.
University of Mysore Viswavidyanilaya Karya,
Soudha “Crawfort Hall”,
Mysore - 570 005
R2/917/84-85
dated 12.12.1985
Click Here
Commerce
12.
Cochin University of Science & Technology Kochi
Kerala - 682 022.
Ac.A3/10705/85
dated 25.3.1986
Click Here
Commerce and allied subjects
13.
Bangalore University University City Campus
Bangalore - 560 001
Com./17663/85-86
dated 3.4.1986
Click Here
Commerce
14.
Shivaji University Vidayanagar,
Kolhapur - 416 004.
SU/Eligi./JNV/Equivi/3644
dated 21.12.1988
Click Here
Commerce
15.
University of Bombay Mumbai - 400 032.
El/C 121 of 1989
dated 9.1.1989
Click Here
Commerce
16.
Algappa University Algappa Nagar
Karaikudi - 623 003.
Tamilnadu.
Letter dated 19.9.1991
Commerce / Corporate Secretaryship / Bank Management
17.
Manonmaniam Sundaranar University
Tirunelveli - 627 009.
Tamilnadu.
MSU/CE/RECOGN/92-93
dated 12.4.1993
Click Here
Commerce and allied disciplines
18.
Pondicherry University R V Nagar,
Kala Pet,
Pondicherry - 605 014.
Letter dated 21.7.1994
Click Here
Commerce
19.
Kuvempu University Shankarghatta
Shimoga Distt.
Karnataka-577 451
KU/AB/Afn-2/5212/94-95
dated 25.10.1994
Click Here
Commerce/ Law/Management
20.
Kakatiya University Warangal
Andhra Pradesh 506 009
1111/B4/KU/Recogn.94
dated 5.11.1994
Click Here
Commerce / Business Management
21.
Utkal University, Vani Vihar,
Bhubaneswar
Orissa - 751 004.
AC/Recog./Gen-40/(P)20463/94
dated 17.11.1994
Click Here
Commerce
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