The Company Secretary (CS) profession in India holds great significance in the corporate and legal framework. Administered by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), the CS course is structured across three levels: CSEET (Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test), CS Executive, and CS Professional. Each stage builds on the last, preparing students for strategic and compliance roles in both the private and public sectors.
Whether you're a Class 12 pass-out, a graduate, or someone looking to understand the complete CS roadmap, this guide is designed to provide clarity on the structure, eligibility, registration process, and exam patterns of the Company Secretary programme in India.
The CS course is regulated by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), a statutory professional body established under the Company Secretaries Act. The role of a Company Secretary goes beyond compliance; it involves advisory duties in corporate governance, ethics, and strategic planning.
To become a certified Company Secretary in India, students must clear three levels of examinations:
Each level has its own eligibility criteria, syllabus, exam format, and registration process.
The CSEET Exam Syllabus is divided into four sections, each focusing on different subjects. The table below mentions the subjects candidates need to study for the upcoming exam, along with their marking scheme:
CSEET Exam Structure and Syllabus | |||
Papers | Subject | No.of questions | marks |
1 | Business Communication | 35 | 50 |
2 | Legal Aptitude and Logical Reasoning | 35 | 50 |
3 | Economic and Business Environment | 35 | 50 |
Paper 4 | Current Affairs and Quantitative Aptitude | 35 | 50 |
total | 140 | 200 |
The CSEET registration process session has begun, with the exam scheduled for July 5 2025. The last date for the July 2025 registration process is June 15, 2025. To avoid last-minute issues, candidates must meet the eligibility criteria and complete the registration process before the deadline.
To pass the CSEET exam, candidates must score at least 40% on each paper and achieve an overall aggregate of 50% across all papers. Candidates who pass the CSEET November 2024 can proceed to register for the Executive Program of the Company Secretary course. It's important to note that the CSEET result is valid for one year from the declaration date. After passing, students should promptly complete the registration process for the Executive Program to avoid any delays.
The CS Executive Exam will be held between 1st June 2025 to 8th June 2025. As per the official notification from ICSI, ICSI has stated that these students will transition to the new 2022 syllabus starting from the June 2025 sessions. The institute has confirmed that no further petitions for exceptions will be entertained. The first CS Executive with the new syllabus (2022) was held in December 2023.
ICSI CS Executive Exam Structure and Syllabus | ||
Module I | ||
Paper No. | Subject | Marks |
1 | Jurisprudence, Interpretation, and General Laws | 100 |
2 | Company Law & Practice Part I – Company Law: Principles and Concepts | 60 |
Part II – Company Administration & Meetings | 40 | |
3 | Setting Up of Business, Industrial & Labour Laws Part I – Setting Up of Business | 60 |
Part II – Industrial & Labour Laws | 40 | |
4 | Corporate Accounting and Financial Management Part I – Corporate Accounting | 60 |
Part II – Financial Management | 40 | |
Module II | ||
5 | Capital Market & Securities Laws Part I – Capital Market | 40 |
Part II – Securities Laws | 60 | |
6 | Economic, Commercial, and Intellectual Property Laws Part I – Economic & Commercial Laws | 60 |
Part II – Intellectual Property Laws | 40 | |
7 | Tax Laws & Practice Part I - Direct Tax | 60 |
Part II - Indirect Tax | 40 |
The CS executive exam will be conducted offline in exam centres only. The exam paper consists of two modules and seven papers, each with 100 marks. The question pattern will be both objective and descriptive. There will be no negative marking for incorrect answers in MCQs. The detailed CS Executive Exam Pattern is given below.
CS Executive Exam Pattern | |
Medium of Exam | English |
Mode of Exam | Offline, Pen and paper-based |
Duration of Exam | Three Hours (180 minutes) |
Type of Questions | Both Objective and Subjective |
Total Number of Papers | Module I: 4 papers Module II: 3 papers |
Total marks per paper | 100 |
The CS Professional Exam June 2025 will be held between 1st June 2025 to 10th June 2025. The CS professional June 2025 exam will be the last one conducted as per the old syllabus (2017). The first CS professional exam with the new syllabus (2022) was held in June 2024. The exam comprises two groups with seven papers, including two elective papers. The CS Professional Exam New Syllabus and marking scheme are given below.
ICSI CS Professional Exam Structure and Syllabus | ||
Paper No. | Subject | Marks |
Group 1 | ||
1 | Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) – Principles & Practice Part I – Governance and Sustainability | 65 |
Part II – Risk Management | 20 | |
Part III- Environment & Sustainability Reporting | 15 | |
2 | Drafting, Pleadings, and Appearances Part I - Drafting and Conveyancing | 70 |
Part II - Pleadings and Appearances | 30 | |
3 | Compliance Management, Audit & Due Diligence Part I – Compliance Management | 40 |
Part II – Audit & Due Diligence | 60 | |
4 | Elective 1 (Select one Paper out of 4 Elective Papers) | |
Group 2 | ||
5 | Strategic Management & Corporate Finance Part I – Strategic Management | 40 |
Part II – Corporate Finance | 60 | |
6 | Corporate Restructuring, Valuation, and Insolvency Part I – Corporate Restructuring | 40 |
Part II – Valuation | 20 | |
Part III – Insolvency, Liquidation & Winding-up | 40 | |
7 | Elective 2 (Select one Paper out of 5 Elective Papers) |
The CS professional exam will be conducted offline in exam centers only. The exam paper consists of two modules and seven papers, including electives. The elective exams are conducted as open-book tests. The question pattern will be descriptive. The detailed CS Professional Exam Pattern is given below.
CS Professional Exam Pattern | |
Medium of Exam | English |
Mode of Exam | Offline, center-based exam |
Duration of Exam | Three Hours (180 minutes) |
Type of Questions | Descriptive |
Total Number of Papers | 5 compulsory and 2 elective papers |
Total marks per paper | 100 |
Marking scheme | 2 marks for each correct answer |
Candidates must obtain at least 40% marks in each paper in both Group 1 and Group 2. They also must achieve an overall aggregate score of at least 50% across all the papers. After successfully passing the CS professional exam, candidates can join the internship program in selected organizations to get exposure to real-world business environments and apply their knowledge and skills. There are a lot of career opportunities for professionally qualified CS candidates, such as legal advisors, corporate planners, chief administrative officers, and auditors, as well as working as consultants and faculty members. This was the complete discussion regarding the Company Secretary exam in India.
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Related Links | |
CS Exam Pattern | CS Syllabus |
CS Eligibility Criteria | CS Exam Date |
CS Exam | CS Result |
CS Registration | CS Admit Card |