Company Secretary: Course Details, Eligibility, Duration, Admission, Fees
Company Secretary or CS course is a certificate program that deals with handling the firm's legal aspects, including the company's tax returns, keeping records, advising the Board of directors, and ensuring the company complies with legal and statutory regulations. Company Secretaries act as a vital link between the company and the Board of directors, and shareholders, preparing financial reports, developing corporate strategy, etc.
Table of Contents
- About Company Secretary Course
- How To Get Admission for Company Secretary?
- Who Should Pursue Company Secretary?
- Company Secretary: Course Levels
- Popular Entrance Exams for Company Secretary Course
- Company Secretary Course Training
- Top 10 Company Secretary Colleges in India
- Fee Structure for Company Secretary Course
- Syllabus and Subjects for Company Secretary
- Why Choose Company Secretary?
- Company Secretary Course Comparison
- Preparation Tips for Company Secretary
- Scope For Higher Education
- Salary of a Company Secretary Graduate
- Career Options After Company Secretary Graduation
- Skills That Make You The Best Company Secretary Graduate
Company Secretary [CS] Course Details
| Degree | Certificate |
| Full Form | Company Secretary |
| Duration | 3 Years |
| Age | No Age Limit |
| Minimum Percentage | 50% |
| Average Fees | ₹20K PA |
| Average Salary | 1.5 - 3 LPA [Source: PayScale] |
| Employment Roles | Legal Advisor, Corporate governance Corporate restructuring , Foreign collaborations and joint venture,Arbitration ,Financial management  |
About Company Secretary Course
CS full form is Company Secretary. The course duration is three years with an aim to develop graduates an understanding for company's law, tax filings, and making sure the business complies with all applicable laws and regulations. Company Secretary syllabus includes study of company law, governance, business ethics, financial accounting, etc.
Company Secretary job scope is extensive providing employment opportunities in various areas or industries such as education, banking, consultany, corporates, etc in both public and private sectors.
Eligibility Criteria for Company Secretary
Company Secretary admission is possible for the students if they ensure that they fulfil all the eligibility criteria set out by the admitting institution. Company Secretary eligibility includes the following. Students must give the entrance exams required by the colleges.
Additionally, they must get the minimum aggregate marks required for admission to their undergraduate degree. Company Secretary course minimum age limit to apply for the course is 25 years. The Company Secretary entrance exams are conducted at both national and college levels.
How To Get Admission for Company Secretary?
Company Secretary course details can be downloaded by the students by going to the college’s website. For admission, students must ensure that they are aware of the Company Secretary course requirements. Company Secretary course admission in India is given to the aspiring students based on the marks obtained in the UG and entrance examination. Additionally, for the admission process, the students need to give the national or college level entrance exams. Listed below is the admission process in general:
How to Apply?
To obtain a Company Secretary qualification, the students need to know about the steps and procedure of admission. Company Secretary course details can be accessed by the aspirants by going to the college website. Aspirants can apply to the course of their choice through both online and offline methods. For online admissions, students must upload their official documents online on the college website. The offline admission takes place by students submitting their documents in person in the college admissions office.
Selection Process
The selection criteria for the course are based on the marks obtained by the students in their UG and the entrance exams results. At the time of their admission, students must ensure that their documents are prepared and submitted. Students are informed about the outcome of the admission process through official website communication.
Who Should Pursue Company Secretary?
Given below are some of the parameters that the students should consider before applying for a Company Secretary course:
- Students from the commerce, and aspiring to choose a field in that area, should go for the Company Secretary (CS) course.
- Candidates having mental strength, and also strong convincing power can apply for the Company Secretary course, as these two things are important in the course.
- Some of the skills which the candidate must have are strong communication skills, time management and multitasking should be an expert in the company law, and also a meticulous planner, and have a good command of spoken and written English.
When to Study Company Secretary?
A Company Secretary is a senior position in a private sector company or public sector organisation. And also known as Compliance Officers, it is one of the important positions (which usually includes the CEO & CFO) of any company.
- Candidates completing their 12 standards, who are looking to get into a good commerce program, can apply for the Company Secretary course.
- Candidates should be above 17 years of age in the course.
- Candidates in their 12th board exam can apply for the Company Secretary course (CS).
How to Become a Company Secretary?
Candidates wanting to become a Company Secretary (CS), need to appear for the Company SecretaryET exam. Students who have completed their 10+2 are eligible for this course. There are three-course levels in this exam, which are the foundation course, executive course, and professional course.
Candidates have to enrol in the Foundation course, which is level one. After passing, students have to apply for the Executive course, and also the Professional course. There is a training ground after completing the Professional round.
Company Secretary: Course Levels
There are levels one needs to pass before attaining a post as Company Secretary. Below is a description of different levels of Company Secretary Courses.
Company Secretary Foundation
The Company Secretary foundation course trains students on entrepreneurship, management, business environment, ethiCompany Secretary, accounting, and economiCompany Secretary. The eligibility, course duration, course fee, syllabus and entrance exams for the foundation course of Company secretary which is given below:
| Levels | Description | Duration | Fees (INR) |
| Company Secretary Foundation Programme | It is the first level in the Company Secretary course. This course is provided by the ICompany SecretaryI and is optional coaching and postal tuition classes. | 8 Months | INR 3,600 PA |
Company Secretary Foundation: Eligibility
It is an eight-month course and is also the path to becoming a Company secretary. This course is provided by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
- Candidates who wish to enrol for the foundation course, the Company Secretary (CS) programme, need to pass in 10+2 entrance exams.
- Candidates who passed the 12th exams from any educational institute or equivalent to it, with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks.
Company Secretary Foundation: Duration
Company Secretary course duration is of 3 years, which can be done with a bachelor's degree. The first level of the Company Secretary course, i.eThe foundation course is 8 months long.
Company Secretary Foundation: Fee Structure
Candidates in the Company Secretary foundation program, need to give admission and tuition fees. The fees for the respective course is given below:
| Description | Fees (INR) |
| Admission Fees | INR 1,200 PA |
| Examination Form Fee | INR 875 PA |
| Tuition Fees | INR 2,400 PA |
| Total Course Fee | INR 4,475 PA |
Company Secretary Foundation Syllabus
Given below is the Company Secretary Foundation Syllabus:
| Paper | Subjects |
| Paper 1 | Business Law and Environment |
| Paper 2 | Business Management, EthiCompany Secretary and Entrepreneurship |
| Paper 3 | Business EconomiCompany Secretary |
| Paper 4 | Accounting and Auditing |
Company Secretary Foundation Exam Dates
There is a Company Secretary Foundation entrance exam, where there are 4 papers, based on the syllabus mentioned above. Each paper will have 100 marks paper, combining for a total of 400. The total number of questions for the test will be 250 MCQS, for which the candidates have 90 minutes to complete the paper. It is a CBT exam.
Check out the important entrance exam dates for the 2024 Company Secretary foundation exam, below.
| Paper | Exam Date | Time |
| Paper-1: Business Environment and Law | 15 June 2024 | 9.30 A.M.to 11 A.M. |
| Paper-2 Business Management, EthiCompany Secretary, and Entrepreneurship | 15 June 2024 | 4.00 P.M. to 5.30 P.M. |
| Paper-3: Business EconomiCompany Secretary | 16 June 2024 | 9.30 A.M. to 11.00 A.M. |
| Paper-4: Fundamentals of Accounting and Auditing | 16 June 2024 | 4.00 P.M. to 5.30 P.M. |
Company Secretary Executive Course
The Company Secretary executive course is related to the law which is as follows: commercial law, company law, general law, tax law, accounts and audit practice, and securities law. Check out the eligibility, course duration, course fee, syllabus and entrance exams which are given below:
Company Secretary Executive: Eligibility
It is related to the Company Laws which are as follows: commercial law, company law, general law, tax law, accounts and audit practice, and securities law.
- CSEET Exam is a compulsory test for all categories of students for registration to the Executive Programme except for a few exempted categories.
- Candidates must have completed Class 12 to be competent for CSEET.
- The age of the candidates should be more than 17 years.
The categories of students who are exempted from qualifying for CSEET and can register directly to the Executive Programme:
| Category | Exemption Fee |
| Company Secretary Foundation Programme passed students | Exemption Fee: NA |
| ICAI (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) final course fees | Exemption Fee: INR 5,000 PA |
| ICMAI (The Institute of Cost Accountants of India) final course fees | Exemption Fee: INR 5,000 PA |
Company Secretary Executive: Duration
Company Secretary course duration for the Executive program is 9 months. Company SecretaryI Company Secretary Executive course registration can be done throughout the year for which the exam is conducted in June and December.
Company Secretary Executive: Fee Structure
The fee structure for the Company Secretary executive course differs from the earlier one, and the total course fee is higher in this fee structure.
| Description | Fees (INR) |
| Registration | INR 1500 PA |
| Tuition Fee | INR 5000 PA |
| Examination Form fee | INR 1800 PA |
| Examination Fee | INR 500 PA |
| Total | INR 8,800 PA |
Company Secretary Executive: Syllabus
The Company Secretary Executive course syllabus has two modules. In each module, there are 4 papers. On the other hand, in module II, the paper I will have corporate and management accounting, and paper II will have securities laws and capital markets. In the last two papers, there are subjects like Business, EconomiCompany Secretary and commercial laws, and financial and strategic management.
Module 1 Syllabus
| Module 1 | |
| Paper 1 | Interpretation |
| Jurisprudence | |
| General Laws | |
| Paper 2 | Setting up of Business entities |
| Tax Laws | |
Module 2 Syllabus
| Module 2 | |
| Paper 1 | Corporate and Management Accounting |
| Securities Laws & Capital Markets | |
| Paper 2 | Financial & Strategic Management |
| Economic, Business and Commercial Laws | |
Company Secretary Executive Exams Dates
Candidates eligible for the Company Secretary executive course, candidates have to appear in the Company SecretaryEET exam, i.e., Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test. Candidates having both degrees are eligible to apply for this entrance exam.
| Exam Events | June Session | December Session |
| Registration Date | November 2023 | May 2024 |
| Company Secretary Executive Exam Dates | June 2024 | December 2024 |
| Company Secretary Executive Result declaration date | August 2024 | February 2024 |
Company Secretary Professional Course
The Company Secretary professional course is the last level of the Company Secretary program. The details related to eligibility, duration, course fee, syllabus, and entrance exams, are given below:
Company Secretary Professional Eligibility
Before registering for the Company Secretary Professional exam, candidates should go through the eligibility criteria requirements set by ICompany SecretaryI officially. The basic Company Secretary Professional eligibility criteria are qualifying for the Company Secretary Executive exams (both modules), and the minimum passing marks prescribed by ICompany SecretaryI. To qualify for the Company Secretary Executive exam candidates need to secure a minimum of 40% marks in each subject and an average of 50% marks prescribed by the ICompany SecretaryI.
Company Secretary Professional: Duration
The Company Secretary Professional course is the final course. The company secretary lasts for three years, the first two courses are a combined duration of 15 months. The Company Secretary professional course duration is equal to the first two courses, i.e. 15 months.
Company Secretary Professional: Fee Structure
The registration fee for the same is given below:
| Description | Fees (INR) |
| Examination Form Fee | INR 2250 PA |
| Registration Fee | INR 1500 PA |
| Tuition Fee | INR 9500 PA |
| Total | INR 13,250 PA |
Company Secretary Professional: Syllabus
The Company Secretary Professional course consists of three modules which have four papers in it:
- In module 1, the first paper will consist of - Governance, Compliances and EthiCompany Secretary, and Risk Management. While in the second paper, advanced tax laws and the third paper will consist of Pleadings and Appearances, and drafting.
- In module 2, and paper 4, the subjects are Compliance Management and Due Diligence, and Secretarial Audit. In the fifth paper, the topiCompany Secretary will be Liquidation & Winding-up, and Corporate Restructuring, Insolvency. And in the final paper of module 2, there will be subjects including Non-Compliances & Remedies, and Resolution of Corporate Dispute.
- The first paper includes Corporate Funding & Listings in Stock Exchanges, the second - is Multidisciplinary Case Studies, and paper 9 will have Eight Elective Papers. These 8 elective papers are mentioned below-
- Banking in Law and Practice
- Insurance in Law and Practice
- Intellectual Property Rights in Law and Practices
- Labour Laws and Practice
- Forensic Audit
- Valuations & Business Modelling
- Direct Tax Law & Practice
- Insolvency in Law and Practice
Company Secretary Professional Exam Dates
Company Secretary Professional exams take place twice a year. It is held in June and December. The Company Secretary Professional Exam Results release the results one month after the exam.
| Exam Events | June Dates | December Dates |
| Company Secretary Professional Form submission | Going On | February 2024 |
| Company Secretary Professional Admit Card | 10-12 days before the Exam | To be announced |
| Company Secretary Professional Exam Date | June 2024 | To be announced |
| Company Secretary Professional Result | To be announced | To be announced |
Popular Entrance Exams for Company Secretary Course
For admission in the Company Secretary course, students are required to appear for entrance exams to gain the certificate. The Company Secretary course duration is three years. The Company Secretary India certification is obtained by the aspirants by giving the exams at each level. The students have three levels of training and examination set by the ICompany SecretaryI as Foundation Programme, Executive Program, and Professional Program. The Company Secretary Company Secretary exams are listed below:
- Foundation Exam
- Executive Exam
- Professional Exam
Read More: ICSI CSEET
A Quick Glance at the Company Secretary Course Entrance Exams
The Company Secretary duration is of three years, and obtaining the certificate, is an essential step for the students to pass the three examinations. These exams are an important part of the process to gain certification. Therefore, it is essential that students learn about Company Secretary courses, and research the exam pattern in depth. The general exam pattern details are mentioned below:
- It is an MCQ based exam
- The time limit is of 90 minutes
- It is an objective exam of 50 questions
- 2 marks for the correct answer
- No negative marking
Company Secretary Course Training
There is proper training given to the students which they have to perform. The total time to complete this course is approx 20 months. The details are mentioned below for further information:
| Type of Training | Description | Duration |
| SIP or Student Introduction Programme | Students need to complete their training within 6 months after applying for the Company Secretary executive program, to be eligible for the examination. | 7 days |
| EDP or Executive Development Programme | This training course is the most pursued among all, which the students can complete before the 15 months of the training. | 8 days |
| Compulsory Computer Training Programme | All the students have to pursue this course to get eligible for the Company Secretary executive program. | 70 hours |
| PDP or Professional Development Programme | Candidates have to pursue this training course for 15 months of training. | 25 hours |
| Specialised Agency Training | Students can pursue this course after completing EDP or SIP after passing the professional program, and by completing the 15 months of training. | 15 days |
| MSOP or Management Skills Orientation Programme | This training course can be pursued if the student has been partially or fully exempted from training and has registered the documents needed to fulfil the regulation of 1982. | 15 days |
| Professional or Management Training | Candidates can complete this course with the completion of the required training program. Students must complete their training with the companies which are registered with the Company Secretary in Practice or the ICompany SecretaryI Institute. | 15 months |
| Practical Training | Candidates can only pursue this training course, only if they have completed the Company Secretary professional program. They are eligible to do the required training only if they are exempted from undergoing the 12 months of training under the 1982 companies' secretaries regulation. | 3 months |
Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test Fees
The fee amount for Company Secretary is different and is to be paid at the time of registration. The Company Secretary Course fees are given below:
| Company SecretaryEET Registration Fees | INR 1,000 per appearance |
Top 10 Company Secretary Colleges in India
Many Company Secretary colleges in India are popular for providing students with the state of the art education, which can help them obtain the certification without any hurdles. Listed below are some of the popular Company Secretary colleges:
| Sl. No. | Name of the College |
| 1 | ATM Global Business School |
| 2 | Hindusthan College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore |
| 3 | Vels Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced Studies |
| 4 | Ambalika Institute of Management and Technology |
| 5 | National Law School of India University |
| 6 | Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce |
| 7 | AKS University |
| 8 | Saveetha University |
| 9 | Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies |
| 10 | Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce |
Fee Structure for Company Secretary Course
The company secretary fees in India are fixed. One can apply for the Company Secretary course only through ICompany SecretaryI. The exam can be pursued only through ICompany SecretaryI and not in universities or private colleges. The Company Secretary course fee is standard. The students are required to complete one program every year which is followed up by a training program. The Company Secretary course fees change according to the programs. The Foundation Programme is INR 3,600, the Executive Programme is INR 7,000, Professional Programme is INR 12,000.
Syllabus and Subjects for Company Secretary
Company Secretary is a corporate professional course. The foundation program has four papers that include subjects like economiCompany Secretary, accounting, business ethiCompany Secretary, and business law. The executive program has in total of eight papers to clear, divided into two modules. ICompany SecretaryI is an acronym for the institute of company secretaries of India.
The following are some of the subjects which are included in the Company Secretary syllabus of the course:
- English and Business Communication
- EconomiCompany Secretary and StatistiCompany Secretary
- Elements of Business Law and Management
- Financial Accounting
Read More: Company Secretary Syllabus and Subjects
Why Choose Company Secretary?
When students decide to pursue the Company Secretary course, they should research the details about what a Company Secretary course is, to ensure that they are aware of the course they are enrolled in. Some of the common queries that students come across are, "What is the company secretary course?". To understand the answer to these questions, we can make it simpler by breaking it down into the following three short questions:
What is Company Secretary All About?
Company Secretary is a three-year-long certificate course that deals with the legal aspects of the business as well as financial aspects. An individual has to complete three levels of training and examination set by the ICompany SecretaryI. It is a three-year-long professional course that is equivalent to an undergraduate course. The students can also pursue the course as a long-distance education course.
What Does a Company Secretary Graduate Do?
When students decide to pursue the Company Secretary course, it is an important step that they research the Company Secretary course and job opportunities in great depth. Some of the responsibilities include the handling of legal aspects of the firm which include the company's tax returns, keeping records, advising the Board of directors, and ensuring the company complies with legal and statutory regulations.
Advising Board of Directors: One of the important functions of a company secretary in an organization is to advise the board of directors in decision making. They are responsible for administering the company and its people and help with compliance with statutory and legal requirements.
Reasons Why Company Secretary Can Fetch You a Rewarding Career?
Company secretaries act as a link between the organization and the Board of directors. It pairs with India's highly respectable professions. The company Secretaries are also house lawyers. There is a massive demand for Company Secretary abroad. A Company Secretary has direct reporting to the board and hence a chance to interact with the Board of directors. It is also a financially rewarding career with high job scopes on both the national and international grounds.
Diverse Job Opportunities: There is a wide range of job opportunities available for the graduates of this role. As per the new law, every corporate having authorized capital of more than five crores is required to have a Company Secretary compulsorily, thus creating opportunities among Company Secretary aspirants.
Read More: Company Secretary Jobs and Scope
Company Secretary Course Comparison
Below is a list of course comparison between Company Secretary and CA:
Company Secretary vs CA
The comparison between the company secretary course and chartered accountancy course is given below:
| Parameters | Company Secretary | Chartered Accountant |
| About | The Company Secretary or Company Secretary course is a 3-year degree program. | The CA is a 5-year program, offered by the ICAI. This also has 3 levels. |
| Education Required | Qualifying 10+2 exams | 10+2 with a minimum 60% aggregate |
| Skills Required | Communication Skills, Expertise in Company law, Compliance, Attention to Detail, Time Management & Multi-Tasking, etc. | IT proficiency, general business interest and awareness, numeracy, etc. |
| Average Salary | INR 6 LPA | INR 7 LPA |
| Eligibility | Passing class 12 in any stream. | Passing class 12 with a commerce background. |
Read More: CA
Company Secretary vs CMA
The course comparison between Company Secretary course and CMA is given below:
| Parameters | Company Secretary | Certified Management Accountant |
| About | The Company Secretary or Company Secretary course is a 3-year program. | CMA course is a 3 to a 4-year program, in the financial management, and management accounting fields. |
| Education Required | Qualifying 10+2 exams | Bachelor’s degree |
| Skills Required | Communication Skills, Expertise in Company law, Compliance, Attention to Detail, Time Management & Multi-Tasking, etc. | Planning and Budgeting, Cost Management, External Financial Reporting, etc. |
| Average Salary | INR 6 LPA | INR 1.35 LPA |
| Eligibility | Passing class 12 in any stream | Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 45% aggregate marks. |
Read More: CMA
Preparation Tips for Company Secretary
Some of the Essential course preparation tips are listed below:
Make a Plan: Make a course plan, it is essential to crack the three stages of the examination pattern.
Connect With Fellow Students: Start connecting with peers who can help you with providing an exchange of knowledge that might help you to reduce stress at the time of examination.
Scope For Higher Education
There are plenty of popular higher education courses that aspirants can go for after completing their certification in Company Secretary. Higher education can help the students understand concepts better and also open many avenues for job opportunities. Some of the popular courses opted for by the Company Secretary courses is listed below:
Salary of a Company Secretary Graduate
A Company Secretary's salary in India, according to payscale is around INR 1.5 - 3 LPA. This Company Secretary's salary in India can differ according to many factors like location, education level, experience, expertise, etc.
Read More: Company Secretary Salary
Career Options After Company Secretary Graduation
This professional course is for students with immense interest in subjects like law, taxation, accounts, etc. you should opt for such a course because deciding on which course to pursue should only depend on one's mere interest not otherwise. Company secretary as an independent professional career can render various services which are listed below:
- Legal secretarial
- Corporate governance
- Corporate restructuring
- Foreign collaborations and joint venture
- Arbitration
- Financial management
- Project planning
- Capital market and investor relations
- Due diligence
- Corporate advisory services
Duty of a Company Secretary
The roles and responsibilities of a company secretary are as follows:
- Company secretaries are compliance officers and give suggestions to in-house legal experts.
- They also play a role as a chief advisor to the board of directors in corporate governance.
- A company secretary is an expert in corporate laws, capital markets, and security laws.
- And also responsible for regulatory compliance of the company.
- They play a significant role in corporate planning and as strategic managers.
Key Responsibilities Of a Company Secretary
Given below are the key responsibilities of a Company Secretary:
- It keeps the company's records, maintains the company's tax returns, and advises the Board of Directors about their legal obligations and compliance with statutory legislation.
- A Company Secretary is an important link between the company and its board of directors, shareholders, etc.
- The job of the Company Secretary is to ensure that the procedures are followed and regularly reviewed.
- Responsibilities also include guiding the Chairman and the Directors on their responsibilities under various laws
- Advising on good governance and compliance of norms as prescribed under various Corporate, Securities and other Business Laws and regulations and guidelines made thereunder
- Company Secretary is also responsible for secretarial compliance audits and certification services.
- Company Secretary also represents the company before the law board, consumer forums, tax tribunals, etc.
- It Advises on arbitration, negotiation and conciliation in commercial disputes between parties and drafting the agreement
- Advisory services to companies on tax management and tax planning under Income Tax, etc.
- Provide advice on issues of shares and other securities all over the world.
- Drafting of prospectus/offer for sale/letter of offer/other documents related to the issue of securities and obtaining approvals in association with managers.
Skills That Make You The Best Company Secretary Graduate
There are many skills that a Company Secretary student must possess to successfully ace the course. These are not only taught to the students by attending their classes in the college but also through life experiences. Some of these skills are mentioned below:
- Ability to Work Under Pressure
- English Communication Skills
- Time Management Skills
- Quantitative Skills