A company secretary is solely responsible for carrying out finance, accounts, legal, administrative and personnel functions in addition to his/her secretarial duties. A Company Secretary is by various enactments one of the principal officers of the company, therefore they should be organised and have the capability to deal with a number of problems at the same time. Ability to understand complex and technical issues, and an excellent command over written and spoken English are essential. Company secretaries hold key positions, attend board meetings and have access to top-level plans and secrets. They must therefore exercise tact and discretion and be loyal to the company.
After qualifying in the Final examination and undergoing practical training, he/she is eligible to be admitted as an Associate Member. Senior Associate members may be entitled to become Fellows.
Admission is open to anyone who has passed the graduate examination of a university in India or any other equivalent qualification or those who have taken the foundation examination.
Eligibility:
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After Class XII (any stream), a student is eligible to take the Foundation Course. Students who have appeared or enrolled themselves for appearing in the Senior Secondary (10+2 or its equivalent) examination are also eligible for provisional enrolment. However, proof of passing the said examination is required to be furnished within 6 months of the provisional enrolment.
Subjects:
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Business Communication, Business Law and Management, Principles of Accountancy, Economics and Statistics.
Examination - Examination is conducted twice a year, in June and December.
Coaching facilities:
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The Institute imparts compulsory postal tuition where students are provided with study material on each subject at the time of enrollment. Students also have the option to attend oral coaching classes organised by the Institute at select places through its Regional Councils and Chapters. This is done on payment of extra fee (for oral coaching). A student is required to successfully complete postal or oral coaching to become eligible for admission to the examination.
Medium of instruction/examination:
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The Institute allows the option of writing the response sheets under postal coaching and examination in English or Hindi medium, though at present the study material is being made available in English only.
Candidates who pass the Foundation examination are eligible to seek registration
as students of the Company Secretaryship Course.
Exemption
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Graduates in any discipline (other than Fine Arts) and persons who have
passed the Final examination of ICAI or ICWAI are eligible to seek exemption
from Foundation examination and can seek direct registration as a student
for the Intermediate Course of Company Secretaryship.
Enrollment
It is open throughout the year. For appearing in the June examination,
enrollment must be completed by September and for appearing in December
examination, enrollment must be completed by March.
Contact
address
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India - ICSI House, 22, Institutional
Area, Lodhi road, New Delhi 110003
The knowledge and training acquired by a company secretary makes him/her
versatile enough to carry out various functions in Finance, Accounts,
Legal and Personnel Administration, in addition to their own secretarial
duties and responsibilities.
The
tasks:
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In the formation of a company and keeping the company's records.
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Completing the company's tax returns
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Advising the Board of Directors about their legal obligations.
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Ensuring compliance with statutory legislation.
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Understanding the relevant aspects of legislation affecting company business including international legislation if a company operates overseas.
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Arranging company meetings, collecting and compiling information for them and recording the decisions.
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CS act as link between the share-holders and management, and convene the annual general meeting.
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In a large or medium firm, listing of shares and debentures, managerial appointments, remuneration, intercorporate investments and loans, conduct of Board and general meeting and maintenance of records, filing returns under companies act and corporate laws, preparation of project financing, acting as internal legal advisor and representative.
Employment Avenues
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Small firms usually employ company secretaries on retainership basis for professional advice and support e.g licences, registrations, loans, taxes, partnership deeds etc.
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There is plenty of scope for specialisation and moving into general management and administration at the highest level in business houses or CS firms. The job positions begin with Junior Secretarial officer, Company Secretary, to Financial Advisor.
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Membership of the Institute is the only prescribed qualification which a person must possess for appointment as company secretary in such a company. Even in the case of a company having a paid-up share capital of less than Rs 50 lakh, if it appoints a secretary, he/she should possess one of the prescribed qualifications, which include having passed the Intermediate Examination of the Institute. Also, all companies seeking listing on stock exchange are required to have a full-time qualified company secretary.
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Membership of the Institute has been recognised by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, for appointment to superior posts and services under the Central Government. It is also one of the essential qualifications for recruitment to Grades I to IV in the Accounts Branch of the Central Company Law Service of the Department of Company Affairs.
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Specialists in banks in the fields of Finance, Accounts, Law and Merchant Banking.
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Almost every kind of organisation whose affairs are conducted by boards, councils and other corporate structures, be it a company, co-operative society, trust, society, association, federation, authority, commission, board or the like, finds it useful to appoint a person who holds the qualification of company secretaryship in key administrative positions.
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Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms of the Central Government empanels company secretaries for assignment of Indian experts to the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
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Self employment (practice)
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Research