Q. 1. What the Functions of the ICSI?
Ans. The Institute of Company Secretaries of India is a premier professional body constituted under the Company Secretaries Act, 1980 to develop and regulate the profession of Company Secretaries in India. The ICSI, besides conducting Company Secretaryship examinations and enrolling qualified students as members after practical training, exerscises professional supervision over the members in matters pertaining to professional ethics and Code of Conduct. It also organises on a regular basis professional development and continuing education programmes and brings out research publications, guidance notes, secretarial standards as well as professional monthly journal Chartered Secretary for corporate executives and Student Company Secretary and CS Foundation Course Bulletin for students. The ICSI regularly interacts with government, regulatory bodies and chambers of commerce and industry on policy and professional matters.

The institute has its Headquarters at ICSI House, 22 Institutional Area, Lodi Road, New Delhi and Regional offices at Mumbai, Calcutta, New Delhi and Chennai and 36 Chapters and 16 Statellite Chapters located in various cities all over India. The ICSI has on its rolls over 13,000 qualified members and nearly 2 lakh students pursuing the CS Course.

Q. 2. What exactly is the role of a Company Secretary?

Ans. As the principal officer of the company, the Company Secretary is a vital link between the Company, the Board of Directors, shareholders and governmental and regulatory agencies. He is a business manager and an important adjunct in corporate management hierarchy, serving as the Registrar for the company. He acts as a confidante of the Board of Directors, takes part in the formulation of long-term and short-term corporate policies, maintains statutory books and records and ensures compliances with legal and procedural requirements under various enactments for effective corporate governance. His duty involves advising the Board of Directors on the ramifications of the proposals under the consideration of the Board. As a corporate development planner he identifies expansion opportunities, arranges collaborations, amalgamation, mergers, acquisitions, takeovers, divestment, setting up of subsidiaries and joint ventures within and outside India. He looks after the entire secretarial functions which include preparing agenda, convening, conducting and minuting meetings of Board of Directors, Shareholders, Annual General Meetings, Inter-departmental meetings and meetings with foreign delegations, Financial Institutions, regulatory authorities, etc.

A Company Secretary, as a competent professional, comes into existence after extensive exposure provided by the institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), through comprehensive study material, compulsory coaching, highly exacting examinations, rigorous compulsory training and continuing professional development programmes. Besides, rendering statutory duties, as attending meeting, preparing minutes, maintaining register of members, ensuring timely transfer of shares and ensuring compliances of various laws, a Company Secretary also assists the Board in various other aspects.

Q. 3. What are the Career prospects for Company Secretaries?

Ans. A qualified CS has access to openings both in the private and public sector, financial institutions stock exchanges and even the Central/State Government. As per Section 383 A of the Companies Act 1956, companies with a paid up share capital of Rs 50 lakh, or more must have a whole-time company secretary. In case of a company with a paid up capital of less than Rs 50 lakh, a CS with an Intermediate pass is also eligible for appointment. All companies seeking a listing on stock exchanges are required to have a full time CS. The Ministry of Human Resources Development Department of Education has recognised Membership of the ICSI for appointment to superior posts and services under the Central government. It is one of the essential qualifications for recruitment from Grade I to Grade IV in the accounts branch of the Central Company Law Service of the Department of Company Affairs. The Indian Banks Association has recommended to banks to consider appointment of company secretaries as specialists in the field of finance, accounts, law and merchant banking.

Almost every kind of organisation, whose affairs are conducted by boards, councils and other corporate structures, be it a company, cooperative society, trust, society, association, federation, authority, commission, board or the like, finds it useful to appoint a person in key administrative positions who holds the qualification of company secretaryship, Members of the Institute may also go in for independent practice. Beecides issuing statutory certifications and appearing before various quasi-judicial authorities as an authorised representative, he issues due diligence and comfort certificates, acts as a secretarial auditor and an advisor and consultant on finance and management.

The essential ingredient of succeeding on an exam is the knowledge of the contents and structure of the exam and the process. The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) of India conducts the IAS exam. The three-step process is:

• Preliminary Exam (Prelims)
• Main Exam (Mains)
• Interview.

The Prelims are composed of two tests of two hours each. The General Studies (GS) test contains 150 objective, multiple-choice questions. It primarily covers six topics: the constitution of India, history, geography, economics, science, and current affairs. The second test is on a subject chosen, from among the 23 subjects, by the candidate. This objective, multiple-choice test contains 120 questions. The GS and second test are worth 150 and 300 points, respectively.

The Prelims are used as a screening mechanism for reaching the next phase of the Mains. Approximately 200,000 candidates appear for the Prelims and less than 20,000 qualify for the Mains. The number of candidates for the Prelims is about 10 times larger than the number of vacancies available. Obviously, getting an IAS job in India is extremely competitive and thus highly regarded.

The Mains consists of 9 tests. The first two are language tests: first is the English Test and the second is the Language Test in any one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian constitution. Each test is worth 300 points. These tests are at the high school level. The candidates are expected to only qualify; the score from these tests is not included in the aggregate. The Language Test is not required for candidates from the North-East. The third test is an Essay Test, worth 200 points. The candidate can write the essay in English or in any other language included in the Eighth Schedule of the constitution. The next two tests, each worth 300 points, are on General Studies. The syllabus for each test is different. These tests aim to judge your awareness and well as your understanding and analysis of contemporary events. The remaining four tests, each worth 300 points, are on two of the optional subjects chosen by the candidate. The subject matter is consistent with the college level education.

The interview, worth 300 points, is the last stage of the selection process. Nearly twice as many candidates are invited for Interview as the number of vacancies.

As you can see, the process consists of mandatory and optional subject matter. For optional subjects, you should choose those subjects in which you have the most knowledge and greatest interest. Obviously, you need to master the constitution, history, geography, economic, science, and current affairs. Another critical dimension is the thought process, analytical skills, ability to articulate thoughts coherently and strong writing skills, both in English and in the language of your choice. Given a particular emphasis on the general knowledge, you must become an avid reader of newspapers and magazine that deal with Indian and international affairs, political, economic and business issues, and other current events.

• Indian Administrative Service


• India Foreign Service


• Indian Police Service


• Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service, Group - A


• Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group - A


• Indian Customs and Central Excise Service, Group - A


• Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group - A


• Indian Revenue Service, Group - A


• Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group - A (Assistant Manager, non-technical)


• Indian Postal Service, Group - A


• Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group - A


• Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group - A


• Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group - A


• Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group - A


• Posts of Assistant Security Officer, Group - A in Railway Protection Force (RPF)


• Indian Defence Estates Service, Group - A


• Indian Information Service (Junior Grade), Group - A


• Indian Trade Service (Grade III), Group - A


• Posts of Assistant Commandant in Central Industrial Security Force, Group - A


• Central Secretariat Service (Section Officer's Grade), Group - B


• Railway Board Secretariat Service (Section Officer's Grade), Group - B


• Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (Assistant Civilian Staff Officer's Grade), Group - B


• Customs Appraisers' Service, Group - B


• Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service, Group - B


• Pondicherry Civil Service, Group - B

• A degree of any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be a Deemed University under the UGC Act, 1956, or an equivalent qualification.
• Candidates who have appeared or intend to appear for the qualifying examination and are awaiting results are also eligible to appear for the Preliminary Examination. All such candidates who qualify to appear for the Civil Services Main Examination must produce proof of having passed the said examination along with their application for the Main Examination.
• The UPSC may in exceptional cases treat a candidate without the requisite qualification as an eligible candidate if he / she has passed an examination conducted by other standard institutions that justifies his / her admission in the opinion of the Commission.
• Candidates with professional and technical qualifications recognised by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees.
• Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for the Main Examination. However they must submit along with their Main Examination application, a certificate from the concerned authority of the University / Institution that they have passed the final professional medical examination. At the Interview stage they must then produce a certificate from a competent authority that they have completed (including internship) all the requirements for the award of the Medical Degree.

A maximum of 4 attempts is permitted to every candidate and 7 to those belonging to Other Backward Classes. There is no restriction on the number of attempts in the case of SC/ST candidates