CS Ashish Garg, the president of ICSI, says that company secretaries need to have an armoury of communication, legal, managerial and IT skills, which is indispensable to their profession

The Company Secretaries (Amendment) Regulations 2020 amended the existing CSR 1982. It will strengthen each milestone in the process of becoming a professional. The amended regulation aims to equip and develop members of the institute with requisite knowledge and skills to meet the expectations of the industry, regulators and other stakeholders.

Speaking about the revamped training structure, CS Ashish Garg, President of ICSI, said, “Implementation of amendment regulations will take the company secretary profession to newer heights and will surely help the institute to realise its vision and mission. Skills are an indispensable component. In this regard, company secretaries too need to have an armory of communication and professional, legal, management and IT skills. All this would be kept as an integral part of the new training structure. The entrance test to CS executive shall ensure that the students have the requisite level of aptitude to pursue the course and become successful professionals.”

Introduction of practical and skill-based training

The new training structure for students comprises 24 months training, which shall provide them with a platform to develop their core competencies and  harness their soft skills including managerial and leadership capabilities. Students who have passed executive level are required to  undergo:

— One month Executive Development Programme (EDP), which will equip them with necessary soft and IT skills.

— Twenty one months of practical training with industry/practicing company secretary .

Corporate Leadership Development Programme (CLDP) is the last stage of training for students who have passed the professional programme and have completed the practical training, which is a residential programme for a period of one to two months. It will further enhance their communication, legal, managerial and IT skills required for the profession.

Formation of academic committee

To strengthen the course curriculum at executive and professional level, the new regulations prescribe for constitution of an Academic Committee. It is to give macro perspective to the syllabus, training and examination on various parameters including legal, economic and business aspects.

Professional development initiatives for members

The amendment regulations facilitate introduction of various courses and orientation programmes for the members.  Also, provisions for mandatory requirement for completion of Professional Development Credit Hours for elevation from ACS to FCS membership, Know Your Member (KYM) declaration and Certificate of Living for the members. Concessional fee for physically challenged and senior citizens, who are 70 years or above have also been introduced.

Introduction of ICSI secretarial executive certificate

To create employment opportunities for the students, the amendment regulations have introduced the concept of awarding ‘ICSI — Secretarial Executive Certificate’ for the students, who have passed the executive programme and completed EDP and practical training as prescribed/exempted under these regulations. Such students may use the description ‘ICSI — Secretarial Executive’ and may continue to pursue the company secretaryship course.

Reducing time gap between registration and examination

With an objective of speeding up the completion cycle of Company Secretaryship Course, the amendment regulations have also reduced the minimum gap between the date of registration and the date of examination from an earlier period of nine months to six months for appearing in all modules and from six months to four months for appearing in any one module of Executive/Professional programme.

Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test (CSEET)

To test the aptitude of the candidates required for the profession of company secretary, Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test (CSEET) has been introduced as the qualifying test for registration to executive programme. The entrance test, which includes a computer based test and an online viva-voice is the first level of company secretaryship course. CSEET has been introduced keeping in view the diverse academic standards of the students seeking admission in the course. Also, to attract meritorious students and to test their aptitude for the profession.