Hellow there! Budding business icons! Are you fascinated by the intricate workings of organizations or companies and the limitless possibilities they offer? If yes, then a CS course (Company Secretary Course) might be the perfect option for you. A CS course provides thorough instruction and training in the area of company secretarial procedures, giving you the know-how and abilities to succeed as a skilled company secretary.
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The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), which also offers the CS course, is soon to open doors for Agniveers and Defence Personnel.
In a CS course, you will explore the complex world of corporate law, governance principles, and following rules. You will learn about the laws that apply to companies, the regulations for buying and selling stocks, and the practices that make businesses fair and honest. Through challenging assignments and classes, you will become an expert in organizing meetings, managing company paperwork, interacting with shareholders for ensuring dividends are timely paid or not, handling money matters, and managing risks.
By enrolling in a CS course, you are equipping yourself with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the complex landscape of company secretarial practices. So, grab the opportunity to become a trusted advisor and integral part of organizations, driving their success through sound governance principles and ethical decision-making.
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What is a CS Course?
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), which was established in accordance with the Company Secretaries Act, 1980, offers the Company Secretary course (CS). The three stages of the CS course are the:
- CS Foundation Programme
- CS Executive Programme
- CS Professional Programme
As a qualified company secretary, you can find rewarding roles in diverse sectors such as finance, banking, legal services, consultancy, and corporate management. Your responsibilities may include ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, managing corporate records, and facilitating effective communication between stakeholders.
Importance of a CS Course
A Company Secretary (CS) course holds significant importance in the corporate world. He has an important post to look after all the administrative departments of the company. Here are some key reasons highlighting the importance of pursuing a CS course:
- People that take a CS course have a thorough understanding of company laws, rules, and compliance requirements.
- CS professionals play a vital role in promoting and maintaining good corporate governance practices.
- The board of directors and upper management benefit greatly from the assistance of CS experts.
- CS experts are skilled at recognizing, evaluating, and managing the risks that organizations face.
- A CS course provides a wide range of job options.
CS Course Overview
The important details regarding a CS Course have been mentioned in the table given below. This information can be used to have a better understanding of the examination. It is always necessary to have basic knowledge of the exam you are going to appear in.
| Name of the Course | Company Secretary or CS |
| Mode of Learning | Classroom or Distant |
| Validity of Registration | 3-5 Years |
| CS Eligibility Criteria | For CS Executive, the candidate must have passed 10+2 from a recognized board and must have qualified for the CSEET exam (popularly known as foundation program) For CS Professional, the candidate must have passed the CS executive exam. |
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CS Course: Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for pursuing a Company Secretary (CS) course vary depending on the level of the course. The CS course is administered by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). Here are the eligibility criteria for each level of the CS course:
Foundation Level
- There are no specific educational qualifications required to enroll in the CS Foundation course.
- Students who have completed 10+2 (or its equivalent) in any stream (excluding Fine Arts) are eligible to register for the CS Foundation program.
Executive Level
- Graduates of any discipline (excluding Fine Arts) can directly register for the CS Executive program.
- Additionally, candidates who have cleared the Foundation examination conducted by ICSI, the CPT examination conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), or the Foundation course examination conducted by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) are also eligible for direct admission to the CS Executive program.
Professional Level
- To be eligible for the CS Professional program, candidates must have cleared the CS Executive program conducted by ICSI.
- Graduates from all disciplines (excluding Fine Arts) and candidates who have passed the Final examination of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) or the Final examination of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) are also eligible for direct admission to the CS Professional program.
There are some exemptions also offered to professionals and executive students who have done post-grad in certain courses. Let’s look at these exemptions.
Paper-wise Exemptions On The Basis of Higher Qualifications
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), during its 252nd Meeting on March 28th, 2018, and 253rd Meeting on June 30th, 2018, made a decision regarding the eligibility of students enrolling in the Company Secretary (CS) Course under the New Syllabus of 2017. According to the decision, these students can receive exemptions from specific papers based on their higher qualifications acquired.
| Basis of Exemption Qualifications | Exemptions in paper(s) covered under Executive Programme | Exemptions in paper(s) covered under Professional Programme |
| Passed LL.B. or Five Year Integrated Law Course from a recognized university/institute and secured 50% or more marks in the aggregate (Qualification Code 47) | Module 1 Paper-1: Jurisprudence, Interpretation & General Laws (Paper Code 421) | No paper-wise exemption is available for this qualification in any paper covered under Professional Programme. |
| Final Pass Students of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (Qualification Code: 44) | Module 1 Paper 4: Tax Laws (Paper Code: 424) Module 2 Paper 5: Corporate and Management Accounting (Paper Code: 425) Module 2 Paper 8: Financial and Strategic Management (Paper Code: 428) | Module 1 Paper 2: Advanced Tax Laws (Paper Code: 432) Module 3 Paper 7: Corporate Funding & Listing in the Stock Exchanges (Paper Code: 437) |
Note: For more details regarding the exemptions, candidates are advised to go through the Paperwise Exemption PDF released by ICSI.
CS Course: Fees and Duration
Knowing the course duration is equally important as planning your career journey ahead is the ultimate goal. Course duration helps us to make a blueprint of the career pathway. The fees and duration of the Company Secretary (CS) course can vary based on the course level and the registration type.
Here is a general overview of the fees and duration for each level of the CS course:
CS Foundation
- The CS Foundation course is the first level of the CS course. The duration of the course is approximately 8 months.
The CS Entrance Test fees are mentioned in the table below.
| CS EXECUTIVE ENTRANCE TEST (CSEET) | |
| CSEET Registration Fees | Rs. 1000/- |
| CSEET Classes Advance Fees (Optional) | Rs. 1000/- |
Some concessions have been provided for the selected categories. Candidates are requested to check the official website to avail the fee concession.
CS Executive
- The CS Executive course is the second level of the CS course. The duration of the course is approximately 9 months.
Fees for the CS executive programs are given below:
| Particulars | Fee Payable (in INR) by the students who have passed | ||
| CS Executive Entrance Test | CS Foundation Programme | Direct-Admission Graduates Final Course of ICAI Final Course of ICMAI | |
| Registration Fee | 2000 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Education Fees | 6500 | 6500 | 6500 |
| CSEET Exemption Fee | Nil | Nil | 5000 |
| Pre_Exam Test Fee | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| One-Day Orientation Program Fee | 600 | 600 | 600 |
| Chartered Secretary Journal Subscription | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Total | 10,600 | 10,600 | 15,600 |
CS Professional
- The CS Professional course is the final level of the CS course. The duration of the course is approximately 10-12 months.
The fees for the CS Executive courses are mentioned in the table below.
| PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMME (After passing CS Executive Programme) | |
| Education Fee | 12,000 |
| Examination Fee | 1000 |
| Total | 13,000 |
Note: For other fees like registration de novo, re-registration, and continuation of the registration fee, students are kindly advised to refer to the official fee pdf by the ICSI.
Tip💡: Check out our blog CA Courses After 12th if you have a soft corner for Chartered Accountants out there!
Company Secretary Exam Schedule 2023
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has revealed the exam dates for the CSl exams scheduled for the December 2023 session. According to the timetable, the exams will take place from December 21 to December 30, 2023.
The complete schedule includes:
| Date and Day | Executive Programme (Syllabus – 2017) | Executive Programme (Syllabus 2022) | Professional Programme (Syllabus 2017) |
| 21.12.2023 (Thu) | Jurisprudence, Interpretation, and General Laws (Module-I) | Jurisprudence, Interpretation, and General Laws (group 1) | Governance, Risk Management, Compliances and Ethics (Module 1) |
| 22.12.2023 (Fri) | Securities Laws and Capital Markets (Module II) | Securities Laws and Capital Markets (Group 2) | Secretarial Audit, Compliance Management and Due Diligence (Module II) |
| 23.12.2023 (Sat) | Company Law (Module I) | Company Law and Practice (Group 1) | Corporate Funding and Listings in Stock Exchanges (Module III) |
| 24.12.2023 (Sun) | Economic, Business, and Commercial Laws (Module-II) | Economic, Commercial, and Intellectual Property Laws (Group 2) | Advanced Tax Laws (Module I) |
| 25.12.2023 (Mon) | NO EXAMINATION | ||
| 26.12.2023 (Tue) | Setting Up of Business Entities and Closure (Module-I) | Setting Up of Business, Industrial, and Labor laws (Group 1) | Corporate Restructuring, Insolvency, Liquidation and Winding – up (Module II) |
| 27.12.2023 (Wed) | Corporate and Management Accounting (Module-II) | Tax Laws and Practice (Group 2) | Multidisciplinary Case Studies [Open Book Exam.] (Module III) |
| 28.12.2023 (Thu) | Tax laws (Module-I) | Corporate Accounting and Financial Management (Group 1) | Drafting, Pleadings and Appearances (Module I) |
| 29.12.2023 (Fri) | Financial and Strategic Management (Module-II) | No Examination | Resolution of Corporate Disputes, Non– Compliances and Remedies (Module II) |
| 30.12.2023 (Sat) | NO EXAMINATION | Elective 1 out of below 5 subjects. Banking – Law and Practice Insurance – Law and Practice Intellectual Property Rights – Laws and Practice Labour Laws and Practice Insolvency – Law and Practice |
Note: 31.12.2023 to 03.01.2024 are reserved dates.
Career Options After CS Course
After completing a Company Secretary (CS) course, you have various career options available to you. Not only in the corporate sector, but you can also find job opportunities in different sectors like finance, trading, research, and many more. Here are some popular career paths for CS graduates along with their average salary in India:
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Company Secretary | INR 06 LPA |
| Corporate legal Advisor | INR 4.20 LPA |
| Compliance Officer | INR 4.70 LPA |
| Risk Manager | INR 10 LPA |
| Financial Analyst | INR 4.5 LPA |
| Investment Banker | INR 04 LPA |
| Legal Researcher/Writer | INR 3.60 LPA |
These are some of the career options available to CS graduates. It’s important to consider your interests, skills, and aspirations while choosing a career path.
Final Words
Finally, pursuing a CS course equips individuals with the knowledge and skills to excel in the corporate world. Graduates of this course possess a deep understanding of legal and regulatory frameworks, enabling them to play an important role in ensuring corporate compliance and good governance.
A perfect blend of hard and smart work along with some consistency will surely give you a fruitful result in the end. One day, you will wake up and realize that you have done what you have always wanted to do. You are soon on the way to becoming a Company Secretary! All the best folks!
Need more answers? Do not worry! iDreamCareer has a team of certified career experts to answer your queries regarding the Company Secretary Course. We have a dedicated team of experts that will help you choose a course that aligns with your passion and interests. You can also check our Course Selection Page for additional information.
Also Read:
- Courses After Graduation in Commerce
- Things You Should Know Before Commerce Stream
- The Road to Becoming a Company Secretary:
- Professional Courses After 12th Commerce
- Career Options in Commerce
- Commerce without Maths
- Popular 12th Pass Job Options
- What After 12th
CS Course: FAQs
To enroll in the CS course, one must have completed 10+2 or an equivalent examination. Graduates from any stream can directly apply for the CS Foundation program. Graduates from commerce or any other discipline are eligible for direct admission to the Executive program.
CS graduates have a wide range of career options. They can work as Company Secretaries, corporate legal advisors, compliance officers, risk managers, financial analysts, investment bankers, and more. The course opens opportunities in various sectors like corporate firms, banks, regulatory bodies, and consultancy firms.
The CS course develops skills in areas such as corporate law, legal compliance, corporate governance, finance, strategic management, communication, and analytical thinking. It also enhances skills like attention to detail, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Yes, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is the professional body responsible for administering and regulating the CS course. It sets the curriculum, conducts examinations, and awards the CS qualification.
Yes, the ICSI offers the CS course through both distance learning and online mode. Students can opt for the respective programs and avail themselves of the study materials, online classes, and guidance provided by the institute to complete the course.
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