CS (Company Secretary) India
ICSI
Complete guide to passing the CS (Company Secretary) India exam on your first attempt.
₹20,000-₹40,000 total
~15-20%
Lifetime
India
ICSI
₹5-15 LPA
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Complete Overview
The Company Secretary qualification is awarded by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), a body constituted under the Company Secretaries Act, 1980. It is taken by students who clear the Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test after Class 12, and by graduates, post-graduates, CA Intermediate passes and CMA Final passes who are exempt from that test and register straight into the Executive Programme. Under the ICSI fee schedule effective 15 April 2026, CSEET registration costs Rs 7,500 with an examination fee of Rs 1,500 per session, the Executive Programme costs Rs 18,900 for CSEET or CS Foundation qualifiers and Rs 23,900 for direct admission candidates, and the Professional Programme costs Rs 20,000.
ICSI restructured the entrance test with effect from the June 2026 session. The old remote proctored MCQ test has been replaced by four papers of 100 marks each, 400 in total, sat on four separate days at designated examination centres across Indian cities. Business Communication, Fundamentals of Accounting, and Economic and Business Environment are three-hour subjective papers running 2:30 PM to 5:45 PM. Business Laws and Management is a two-hour OMR paper running 2:30 PM to 4:45 PM, split 60 marks for law and 40 for management, with no negative marking. Every paper includes 15 minutes of reading time. The restructured test applies to candidates registering on or after 16 December 2025, and the last remote proctored CSEET ran on 10 January 2026.
Above the entrance test sit two examined stages under ICSI Syllabus 2022. The Executive Programme has seven papers across two groups, covering jurisprudence, company law, setting up of business, corporate accounting and financial management, capital market and securities laws, economic and commercial laws with intellectual property, and tax laws. The Professional Programme has seven papers across two groups including two electives, chosen from six options in Elective 1 and five in Elective 2. Both elective papers are conducted as open book examinations.
Executive and Professional examinations run twice a year, in June and December, at ICSI centres in the afternoon. The December 2026 session runs from 21 to 28 December. Papers are timed 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM, which includes 15 minutes of question paper reading time from 2:00 PM to 2:15 PM. Examination fees are Rs 1,500 per group at Executive level and Rs 1,800 per group at Professional level, with a late fee of Rs 250 and a US$100 surcharge for the Dubai overseas centre.
Passing needs 40 percent in each paper and 50 percent in the aggregate of that group. ICSI reported June 2026 pass rates of 17.41 percent for Executive Group 1 and 22.19 percent for Group 2, against 32.69 percent and 29.49 percent for the two Professional groups. Between the two stages sits training: a one-month Executive Development Programme delivered as 15 days online through the Learning Management System followed by 15 days in a classroom, then 21 months of long-term practical training paying a minimum stipend of Rs 5,000 a month through banking channels, then a one-month Corporate Leadership Development Programme.
Why Get CS (Company Secretary) India Certified?
The Companies Act, 2013 requires certain classes of companies to appoint a whole-time company secretary as a key managerial personnel, which creates statutory demand for the qualification rather than optional demand.
The catalogue salary band for qualified company secretaries in India is Rs 5 to 15 lakh per annum, and ICSI membership does not expire or require a requalifying examination.
Practical training is paid. ICSI Training Guidelines 2024 set a minimum monthly stipend of Rs 5,000, payable through banking channels only and payable during the two-month probation period as well. Non-payment for three consecutive months is a listed ground for transferring to another trainer.
Graduates, post-graduates, CA Intermediate passes and CMA Final passes skip CSEET entirely. They pay a Rs 5,000 exemption fee inside the Rs 23,900 Executive Programme package and start at the Executive stage.
The Professional Programme carries two elective slots, giving eleven specialisation options in total. Elective 1 includes Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics and Cyber Security Laws and Practice, and Elective 2 includes Insolvency and Bankruptcy Law and Practice.
Both Professional Programme elective papers are open book, which shifts the assessment from recall towards applying legislation to facts.
Executive Programme students preparing for the Professional Programme get 52 days of leave during practical training, including 31 examination days, which is written into the ICSI Training Guidelines rather than left to the employer.
Exam Format & Structure
Duration
Executive and Professional papers run 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM, which is three hours of writing plus 15 minutes of question paper reading time from 2:00 PM to 2:15 PM. Restructured CSEET runs in the afternoon session too: the three subjective papers run 2:30 PM to 5:45 PM for three hours of writing, and the OMR paper runs 2:30 PM to 4:45 PM for two hours. All CSEET papers carry 15 minutes of reading time.
Questions
ICSI publishes marks rather than a fixed question count for Executive and Professional papers. Each paper carries 100 marks, and several are split into parts with published mark splits, such as Executive Paper 5 at 40 marks for Capital Market and 60 for Securities Laws. Restructured CSEET has four papers of 100 marks each, 400 marks in total.
Passing Score
40 percent in each paper and 50 percent in the aggregate of all papers of that module, at one sitting. A candidate who appears in all papers of a module, scores 60 percent or more in any paper and at least 25 percent in every remaining paper of that module but fails the module is granted an exemption in the high-scoring paper for subsequent attempts. A candidate who fails exactly one paper of a module without any exemption but averages 60 percent across the remaining papers of that module passes the module by scoring 50 percent in the failed paper on a later attempt. CSEET requires 40 percent per paper and 50 percent aggregate at one sitting with no exemption or carry forward.
Question Types
- Descriptive and problem-based written answers across all seven Executive Programme papers
- Descriptive written answers across the five compulsory Professional Programme papers
- Open book papers for Professional Programme Elective 1 and Elective 2
- Subjective papers in restructured CSEET for Business Communication, Fundamentals of Accounting, and Economic and Business Environment
- OMR based objective questions in the restructured CSEET Business Laws and Management paper, with no negative marking
- Drafting exercises in Professional Programme Paper 2, Drafting, Pleadings and Appearances
Delivery Method
Pen and paper at ICSI examination centres across Indian cities, plus an overseas centre at Dubai for Executive and Professional examinations. From the June 2026 session the restructured CSEET also moved to physical examination centres in Indian cities, replacing remote proctoring, and is held over four days, one paper a day.
Exam Domains & Topics
Four papers of 100 marks each, first held in the June 2026 session. Business Communication, Fundamentals of Accounting, and Economic and Business Environment are three-hour subjective papers. Business Laws and Management is a two-hour OMR paper worth 60 marks for law and 40 for management, with no negative marking. Registration is valid three years and a pass is valid one year.
Key Topics to Master:
- Business Communication: written correspondence, comprehension and professional communication
- Fundamentals of Accounting: accounting concepts through to final accounts
- Economic and Business Environment: micro and macro concepts, Indian business environment
- Business Laws: contract, sale of goods and company law fundamentals
- Business Management: organisation, planning and control functions
- Examination technique for a mixed subjective and OMR format
- Sessions in February, June and October with results by March, July and November
Four papers of 100 marks each. Paper 1 Jurisprudence, Interpretation and General Laws; Paper 2 Company Law and Practice split 60 marks principles and 40 marks administration and meetings; Paper 3 Setting Up of Business, Industrial and Labour Laws split 60 and 40; Paper 4 Corporate Accounting and Financial Management split 60 and 40. ICSI advises students to prioritise Group 1 because it builds the base for Group 2.
Key Topics to Master:
- Sources of law, interpretation of statutes and the General Clauses Act, 1897
- Constitution, administrative law and law relating to torts
- Companies Act, 2013: incorporation, shares, charges and directors
- Board and general meetings, notices, quorum and minutes
- Choice of business entity, startups, LLPs and business closure
- Industrial and labour legislation including wages, social security and industrial relations codes
- Corporate accounting up to consolidated financial statements
- Financial management: capital budgeting, capital structure and working capital
Three papers of 100 marks each. Paper 5 Capital Market and Securities Laws split 40 marks capital market and 60 marks securities laws; Paper 6 Economic, Commercial and Intellectual Property Laws split 60 and 40; Paper 7 Tax Laws and Practice split 60 marks direct tax and 40 marks indirect tax. ICSI reported a 22.19 percent pass rate for Executive Group 2 in the June 2026 session.
Key Topics to Master:
- Primary and secondary markets, market intermediaries and mutual funds
- SEBI listing obligations, LODR and insider trading regulations
- Issue of capital and disclosure requirements, takeovers and delisting
- FEMA, competition law and consumer protection
- Intellectual property: patents, trademarks, copyright and designs
- Income-tax: heads of income, computation and assessment procedure
- Corporate taxation and tax deducted at source
- Goods and Services Tax: supply, input tax credit and returns
Four papers of 100 marks each. Paper 1 Environmental, Social and Governance split 65 marks governance and sustainability, 20 risk management and 15 environment and sustainability reporting; Paper 2 Drafting, Pleadings and Appearances split 70 and 30; Paper 3 Compliance Management, Audit and Due Diligence split 40 and 60; Paper 4 Elective 1, chosen from six subjects and examined open book.
Key Topics to Master:
- Board governance, board evaluation and succession planning
- Enterprise risk management frameworks
- Sustainability reporting and environmental disclosure
- Drafting of agreements, deeds and corporate documents
- Pleadings and appearances before tribunals and regulators
- Compliance management systems and secretarial audit
- Due diligence for transactions and listings
- Elective 1 options including CSR and Social Governance, Internal and Forensic Audit, Intellectual Property Rights, Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics Laws, Advanced Direct Tax Laws, and IFSCA Regulations
Three papers of 100 marks each. Paper 5 Strategic Management and Corporate Finance split 40 marks strategy and 60 marks corporate finance; Paper 6 Corporate Restructuring, Valuation and Insolvency split 40 restructuring, 20 valuation and 40 insolvency, liquidation and winding up; Paper 7 Elective 2, chosen from five subjects and examined open book.
Key Topics to Master:
- Strategy formulation, competitive analysis and implementation
- Sources of corporate finance, capital structure and project finance
- Mergers, demergers, slump sale and scheme of arrangement procedure
- Valuation approaches and registered valuer framework
- Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016: corporate insolvency resolution process
- Liquidation and winding up under the Companies Act, 2013
- Elective 2 options including Arbitration and Mediation, GST and Corporate Tax Planning, Labour Laws and Practice, Banking and Insurance Laws, and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Law and Practice
- Open book examination technique for both elective papers
Non-examined requirements that gate enrolment and membership. Students registered under ICSI Syllabus 2022 must clear an online Pre-Examination Test before enrolling for Executive or Professional examinations. Executive Programme students registered on or after 1 February 2025 must also complete a Three Days Orientation Programme. Long-term training runs 21 months at a minimum of eight hours a day.
Key Topics to Master:
- Pre-Examination Test, mandatory before enrolling in main examinations
- Three Days Orientation Programme for Executive registrants from 1 February 2025
- One month Executive Development Programme, offered as 15 days online and 15 days classroom
- 21 months of long-term practical training under a practising company secretary, company or eligible entity
- Minimum stipend of Rs 5,000 a month paid through banking channels, including the two-month probation period
- 52 days of leave including 31 examination days for Executive passes preparing for the Professional Programme
- One month Corporate Leadership Development Programme after training
- Training registration and records handled through the Stimulate portal
Recommended Study Plan
- 1Confirm your registration is valid on the SMASH portal at smash.icsi.edu, since an expired registration blocks the enrolment form
- 2Check the enrolment cut-off for your session: 30 November for both Professional groups in June, 31 May for both groups in December
- 3Pay the Pre-Examination Test fee and schedule the test, because clearing it is mandatory before enrolling
- 4Download the ICSI study material and the latest Academic Guidance for every paper in your chosen group
- 5Build a chapter tracker mapped to the ICSI Syllabus 2022 mark splits for each paper
- 1Start the heaviest law paper in the group and read the relevant bare Act sections alongside the ICSI module
- 2Write section-number summary cards for every provision the module discusses in detail
- 3Work through the module practice questions at the end of each study lesson
- 4Note every amendment flagged in the ICSI updates page for your session cut-off date
- 1Complete the remaining lessons of the first paper from the ICSI study material
- 2Attempt the ICSI suggested answers questions for the last three sessions on the chapters covered
- 3Practise citing the section and the rule in every answer, because ICSI examiner reports reward specific citation
- 4Start an error log recording every question where you named the wrong provision
- 1Move to the second paper and read the ICSI module in the order the syllabus lists the parts
- 2Respect the published mark split when allocating time, for example 60 marks direct tax against 40 indirect tax in Executive Paper 7
- 3Attempt one full past ICSI question paper for the first paper under the 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM window
- 4Review that paper against the ICSI suggested answers and score yourself against the 40 percent per paper bar
- 1Finish the remaining lessons of the second paper
- 2Begin the third paper, which for most Executive groups is the numerical or accounting paper
- 3Practise working notes in accounting and financial management answers, since ICSI instructions require important steps to be shown
- 4Update the error log and rework the entries from weeks 2 and 3
- 1Complete the remaining papers or parts still open on your tracker
- 2Read the ICSI Chartered Secretary and Student Company Secretary updates for legal changes in your session window
- 3Attempt past questions on every part of every paper, not only the parts you enjoy
- 4Mark each paper on the tracker as complete before starting revision
- 1Revise papers one and two from your section cards, then reattempt their past questions cold
- 2Rewrite four long answers in full using the provision, application and conclusion structure
- 3Compare each rewritten answer line by line against the ICSI suggested answers
- 4Attempt an ICSI mock test paper if your regional council or chapter is running one
- 1Revise the remaining papers of the group from summaries
- 2For Professional Group 1, draft at least six documents by hand under time, since Paper 2 carries 70 marks for drafting and conveyancing
- 3Attempt a full past paper for each remaining paper of the group
- 4Rank your papers by mock score and reserve week 9 for the two lowest
- 1Rebuild the weakest chapters from the ICSI module rather than from summaries
- 2For Professional candidates, index the material you plan to carry into the open book elective paper
- 3Time-test the open book elective by answering a past paper with only your indexed material to hand
- 4Clear at least half the error log
- 1Sit every paper of your group on separate days, matching the ICSI timetable order for that session
- 2Start each mock at 2:00 PM, use only 15 minutes to read, and stop writing at 5:15 PM
- 3Use only a battery operated calculator with no more than six functions, 12 digits and two memories
- 4Get one written paper reviewed against ICSI suggested answers question by question
- 1Redo every legal update applicable to your session, since ICSI expects awareness of developments up to the published cut-off date
- 2Drill section numbers and rule references until you can cite the main provisions without hesitation
- 3Revise all summary cards in two complete passes across the whole group
- 4Reduce the error log to zero unresolved entries
- 1Download the e-admit card from icsi.edu and check the centre address, since no physical admit card is posted
- 2Download or verify your ICSI student identity card, which is a separate mandatory document at the gate
- 3Prepare a transparent pouch with pen, pencil, eraser, scale and a permitted calculator, plus a transparent water bottle
- 4Do a final pass of section cards, one paper per day, in the order the papers fall in the timetable
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Best Study Resources
ICSI Study Material for Syllabus 2022
Official study materialThe official module for every Executive and Professional paper under ICSI Syllabus 2022. Questions are set within the syllabus framework these modules follow, and their part-by-part structure matches the published mark splits.
Included in the Executive and Professional Programme education fee
ICSI New Syllabus 2022 document
SyllabusThe Council-approved syllabus for CSEET, Executive and Professional Programmes, including the mark split inside every paper and the full list of elective subjects with their internal weightings.
Free download
ICSI Suggested Answers and Examiner comments
Past paper solutionsModel answers for past June and December sessions. They show the citation depth and answer length ICSI expects for each mark allocation, which is the single best calibration tool for a descriptive law paper.
Free download
SMASH student portal (smash.icsi.edu)
Registration and enrolment portalHandles registration, switchover, registration de novo, paper-wise exemption applications, change of elective subject, examination enrolment and identity card download. Every ICSI deadline runs through this portal.
Free to use; fees paid through it
Stimulate training portal
Training portalThe ICSI interface for registering and tracking short-term training, the Executive Development Programme, 21 months of long-term practical training, quarterly reports and the Corporate Leadership Development Programme.
Free to use; training programme fees paid through it
ICSI Training Guidelines, 2024
Official guidelinesThe consolidated rulebook for CS training: 21 month duration, minimum eight hour working day between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm, Rs 5,000 minimum monthly stipend, leave entitlement and transfer rules.
Free download
Qualifying Marks (Passing Criteria) for CS Examinations
Official rules documentThe exact ICSI wording of the 40 percent, 50 percent and 60 percent rules, including the 25 percent floor in remaining papers that a candidate must clear before an exemption is granted.
Free download
Chartered Secretary journal
Monthly journalThe ICSI professional journal, carrying regulatory updates, case notes and practice articles. It is the fastest route to the amendments ICSI expects candidates to track before each session cut-off.
Optional subscription of Rs 500 for one year at registration
ICSI Instructions to Examinees
Exam rules documentThe document attached to each session's admit card, listing permitted items, calculator specification, prohibited devices and answer book handling. Read it for your session rather than relying on an older version.
Free, issued with the e-admit card
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming CSEET is still a two-hour remote proctored MCQ test. ICSI restructured it from the June 2026 session into four centre-based papers of 100 marks each, three of them subjective.
Prepare written answers, not only MCQ drills. Only the fourth paper, Business Laws and Management, remains OMR based, and the whole sitting runs 2:30 PM to 5:45 PM at a physical centre.
Scoring 60 percent in one paper and assuming an exemption follows. ICSI grants the exemption only if the candidate also secured at least 25 percent in every remaining paper of that module.
Never abandon a paper you expect to fail. Twenty-five percent in the weak papers is what protects the 60 percent you earned elsewhere, and without it the whole module has to be retaken.
Missing the enrolment cut-off date. ICSI has fixed cut-offs by session and by whether you enrol for one group or both, and there is no late-registration route into an examination you were not eligible for.
Diarise the exact date for your case. For the Professional Programme, both groups need registration by 30 November of the previous year for a June session and 31 May for a December session; a single group has later dates of 31 January and 31 July.
Letting registration lapse and only discovering it at enrolment. Executive and Professional registration is valid five years, and ICSI requires a valid registration on the date the examination enrolment form is submitted.
Apply for registration de novo up to three months before expiry. It costs Rs 2,000 within two years of expiry and Rs 3,000 after that, and study material is not reissued with a de novo registration.
Skipping the Pre-Examination Test until the enrolment window. Every student under ICSI Syllabus 2022, including switchover students, must pay the pre-test fee and clear the online test before enrolling for main examinations.
Clear it in the first month of preparation. The Rs 1,000 pre-examination test fee is already inside the Executive and Professional programme fee, so there is no cost reason to delay.
Treating the two Professional Programme electives as ordinary closed book papers. Elective 1 and Elective 2 are both conducted as open book examinations.
Build an indexed, tabbed set of material and rehearse retrieving from it under the 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM window. An open book law paper punishes slow navigation more than weak memorisation.
Ignoring the internal mark splits inside a paper. Executive Paper 2 is 60 marks company law principles and 40 marks administration and meetings; Professional Paper 1 is 65, 20 and 15 across governance, risk and sustainability reporting.
Allocate study hours in proportion to the published split in the ICSI Syllabus 2022 document, and never enter an exam having skipped a 40 mark part.
Starting training late and stalling at the membership stage. The full sequence is a one month Executive Development Programme, then 21 months of practical training, then a one month Corporate Leadership Development Programme.
Register the training on the Stimulate portal as soon as you pass the Executive Programme. Excess leave beyond the entitlement extends the training end date day for day, which pushes back membership.
Answering without naming the provision. CS papers test law, and an answer that describes the position without citing the section or regulation loses the marks tied to the legal basis.
Rehearse against ICSI suggested answers rather than coaching summaries, and drill section numbers for the Companies Act, 2013, SEBI regulations and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 until citation is automatic.
Exam Day Tips
- 1
Executive and Professional papers run 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM, and the first 15 minutes to 2:15 PM are reading time only. Use them to pick your question order rather than starting to write early.
- 2
Carry both the e-admit card and the ICSI student identity card. ICSI treats these as two separate documents and a candidate without both can be refused entry to the hall.
- 3
If your identity card is missing a photograph or signature, ICSI allows an affixed photograph attested by a gazetted officer, an ICSI member or a college principal. Sort this before exam day, not at the gate.
- 4
Only a battery operated, noiseless, cordless ordinary calculator with no more than six functions, 12 digits and two memories is allowed. Programmable, scientific and printing calculators are barred, and borrowing one inside the hall is prohibited.
- 5
Stationery must travel in a transparent pouch. Water must be in a transparent bottle, and any examination board must be transparent as well.
- 6
A wrist watch is allowed only if it displays nothing beyond time, day and date. Smart watches and health bands are treated as prohibited electronic devices.
- 7
Write in blue or black ink. ICSI prohibits red and green ink, and every practical answer should show the working steps with rough work labelled and struck through with two parallel lines.
- 8
For the two open book Professional elective papers, take material you have already used in practice. Fresh, unindexed books eat time you do not have across a three hour paper.
- 9
Restructured CSEET candidates report to a physical centre for a 2:30 PM to 5:45 PM sitting, not a home computer. Plan travel for four separate exam days rather than one two-hour session.
Career Paths & Salary Ranges
Company secretary in employment
Board and committee support, statutory registers, filings with the Registrar of Companies and secretarial compliance. Certain classes of companies must appoint a whole-time company secretary as key managerial personnel under the Companies Act, 2013.
Rs 5-15 LPA
Company secretary in practice
Independent practice issuing secretarial audit reports and certifications, and taking on ROC and tribunal work. Practising members are also eligible to take on CS trainees under the ICSI Training Guidelines.
Rs 5-15 LPA
Securities and listing compliance officer
Compliance under SEBI listing obligations, insider trading and disclosure regulations at a listed company or an intermediary. Executive Paper 5 on Capital Market and Securities Laws is the technical base.
Rs 5-15 LPA
Corporate restructuring and insolvency professional
Scheme of arrangement work, merger filings and insolvency resolution support. Professional Paper 6 and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy elective map onto this work directly.
Rs 5-15 LPA
Governance, risk and ESG specialist
Board governance frameworks, enterprise risk registers and sustainability reporting. Professional Paper 1 devotes 65 marks to governance and sustainability, 20 to risk management and 15 to environment and sustainability reporting.
Rs 5-15 LPA
Legal and secretarial consultant
Advisory on entity structuring, drafting, contract review and regulatory approvals inside consulting firms and law-adjacent practices. Professional Paper 2 allocates 70 marks to drafting and conveyancing and 30 to pleadings and appearances.
Rs 5-15 LPA
Prerequisites & Requirements
- CSEET route: an Indian national who has passed or is appearing in the Senior Secondary (10+2) examination or an equivalent may register for the restructured CSEET.
- CSEET registration is valid for three years from the month of registration, and a CSEET pass is valid for one year from the date the result is declared, within which the candidate must register for the Executive Programme.
- CSEET exemption: CS Foundation passes, graduates and post-graduates, CA Intermediate passes, CMA Final passes, and candidates who have passed the sixth semester of a recognised five-year integrated programme may register directly for the Executive Programme.
- Provisional Executive registration is open to students in the final year or final semester of a three-year undergraduate programme and to students appearing in the sixth semester of a five-year integrated programme.
- Direct admission candidates pay a CSEET exemption fee of Rs 5,000 as part of the Rs 23,900 Executive Programme package.
- All Executive and Professional students under ICSI Syllabus 2022 must clear the online Pre-Examination Test before enrolling for main examinations.
- Executive Programme students registered on or after 1 February 2025 must complete the Three Days Orientation Programme before enrolling for Executive examinations.
- Professional Programme registration opens only after passing the Executive Programme, and long-term practical training of 21 months can start only after the one month Executive Development Programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the whole CS course cost?
About Rs 47,900 in ICSI fees for a student who starts at CSEET, before per-attempt examination fees. Under the fee schedule effective 15 April 2026, CSEET registration is Rs 7,500 including the Student Induction Programme and online classes, plus Rs 1,500 per CSEET session. The Executive Programme is Rs 18,900 for CSEET or CS Foundation qualifiers and Rs 23,900 for direct admission candidates, and the Professional Programme is Rs 20,000. Executive examinations cost Rs 1,500 per group and Professional examinations Rs 1,800 per group each time you sit them.
What happens if I fail a CS exam?
You re-enrol for the next session; there is no waiting period beyond the June and December calendar and no cap on attempts while your registration is valid. If you appeared in every paper of a module, scored 60 percent or more in some papers and at least 25 percent in each remaining paper, ICSI exempts the high-scoring papers in later attempts. If you failed exactly one paper of a module without holding any exemption but averaged 60 percent across the other papers of that module, you pass the module by scoring 50 percent in that single paper later.
When are CS exams held?
Executive and Professional examinations are held twice a year, in June and December, in the afternoon session. The December 2026 session runs from Monday 21 December to Monday 28 December 2026, and online enrolment for it opened on 26 August 2026. The restructured CSEET runs three times a year in the first week of February, June and October, with e-admit cards downloadable from icsi.edu about ten days before the exam.
What is the CS passing score?
40 percent in each paper and 50 percent in the aggregate of all papers of that module, achieved at one sitting. Both modules can be taken together, in which case the same 40 and 50 percent test is applied across all the papers at once. CSEET uses the same thresholds but with no exemption and no carry forward of marks.
What are the CS pass rates?
For the June 2026 session under Syllabus 2022, the reported figures were 17.41 percent for Executive Programme Group 1 and 22.19 percent for Group 2, against 32.69 percent for Professional Group 1 and 29.49 percent for Group 2. These come from the coverage of ICSI's result release rather than from a standing ICSI statistics page. The direction is consistent across sessions: Executive is the harder stage, sitting a cohort that CSEET has only lightly filtered, while the Professional cohort has already cleared Executive.
How long does the CS qualification take?
At least three years for a student entering through CSEET, and longer in practice. The examinations themselves run on a six-month cycle, but the training sequence adds a fixed floor: one month for the Executive Development Programme, 21 months of long-term practical training, and one month for the Corporate Leadership Development Programme. Training can run alongside Professional Programme study, which is why ICSI grants 52 days of leave including 31 examination days to Executive passes still preparing for Professional.
Which calculator is allowed in CS exams?
A battery operated, noiseless and cordless ordinary calculator with no more than six functions, 12 digits and two memories. Programmable, scientific and printing calculators do not comply and are not permitted. Borrowing or exchanging a calculator inside the hall is separately prohibited, so carry your own and check it against the specification before exam day.
What identification do I need for the CS exam?
The e-admit card downloaded from icsi.edu and the student identity card issued or authorised by ICSI, both carried every exam day. No physical admit card is posted. If the downloaded identity card lacks a photograph or signature, affix one and get it attested by a gazetted officer, an ICSI member or a college principal. Students unable to hold the ICSI identity card for technical reasons may bring another government photo identity such as a passport or driving licence.
Which CS papers are open book?
Both Professional Programme elective papers. Elective 1 in Group 1 and Elective 2 in Group 2 are conducted as open book examinations, as shown on the ICSI December 2026 timetable. Every other Executive and Professional paper is closed book.
Can I sit CS exams outside India?
Yes, at the Dubai overseas centre for Executive and Professional examinations. ICSI charges a surcharge of US$100 or the equivalent in Indian rupees over and above the normal examination fee for appearing from the overseas centre. The restructured CSEET is described as being conducted at designated examination centres in major cities in India.
How long do CS results take?
About two months after the session ends. Results for the June 2026 session were declared on Tuesday 25 August 2026, the Professional Programme at 11:00 AM and the Executive Programme at 2:00 PM, with subject-wise marks on icsi.edu the same day. The Executive result-cum-marks statement is issued electronically only. The Professional statement is posted to the registered address, and a candidate who has not received it within 30 days of the result is told to write to [email protected].
Can I apply for verification of marks?
Yes. Applications for verification of marks must be submitted within 21 days of the result declaration and applications for certified copies of answer books within 30 days. ICSI processes verification applications within 30 days of receipt. Applications under the Right to Information Act, 2005 are accepted for 45 days from receipt of the verification application and processed within 15 days of the last application, which ICSI describes as 60 days from the result.
Is there recertification or continuing education after becoming a member?
There is no requalifying examination. ICSI membership continues subject to annual membership fees, and members in practice hold a certificate of practice. ICSI operates a continuing professional education programme through its regional councils and chapters, and members in practice have programme credit hour requirements set by the Institute rather than by an examination.
How does CS compare with CA in India?
CS is awarded by ICSI under the Company Secretaries Act, 1980 and centres on company law, securities regulation, governance and secretarial audit. CA is awarded by ICAI under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 and centres on financial reporting, audit and taxation, with statutory audit signing rights reserved to its members. The two bodies recognise each other at entry: CA Intermediate passes get direct entry into the CS Executive Programme, and CS Executive passes qualify for direct entry into the CA Intermediate Course.
Do I get paid during CS practical training?
Yes. The ICSI Training Guidelines, 2024 require every practising company secretary or company engaging a trainee to pay a minimum monthly stipend of Rs 5,000, or such amount as the Council determines from time to time. The stipend must be paid through banking channels only and is payable for the probation period as well. ICSI can ask either party for proof of payment during or after training, and non-payment of stipend for three consecutive months is listed as a ground on which a trainee may transfer out.
How much leave can I take during CS training?
Executive Programme passes preparing for the Professional Programme get 52 days, of which 31 are examination leave. A student who starts training after already passing the Professional Programme gets 21 days of casual leave only, a rule effective from 1 June 2022. Leave taken beyond entitlement extends the training by the same number of days, and where training is split between organisations the entitlement is calculated pro rata.
What are the working hours during CS training?
A minimum of eight hours a day, fixed by mutual consent between trainee and trainer and confined to the window between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm, subject to the labour law of the relevant state. Whether the organisation runs a five or six day week, and which day is the weekly off, follow the trainer's own policy, and the guidelines state ICSI will not intervene in that decision. One casual leave a month is credited to the student and treated as paid leave. The first two months are a probation period, during which the stipend is still payable and the trainee may transfer on 14 days' notice.
Can I change my elective subject in the Professional Programme?
Yes, through the SMASH portal under Student Services, Change optional subject. There are six Elective 1 options in Group 1 and five Elective 2 options in Group 2 on the current ICSI timetable. Changing the examination centre, module or medium is a separate request costing Rs 250 per change.
Who is eligible to register for CSEET, and how long does a pass stay valid?
Only Indian nationals may apply. A candidate who has passed or is appearing in the Senior Secondary 10+2 examination or its equivalent may register. CSEET registration is valid for three years from the month of registration, but a CSEET pass is valid for only one year from the date the result is declared, within which the student must register for the Executive Programme. Completing the Student Induction Programme is compulsory before enrolling for the CSEET examination itself.
Are there fee concessions for CS students?
Yes, and they are substantial at the entry stage. On CSEET registration, SC/ST and physically handicapped candidates pay 50 percent, ICSI staff and their wards or spouses 25 percent, and students from the North Eastern states, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Himachal Pradesh 50 percent; students from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh pay nothing. At Executive Programme registration the same Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh waiver applies, alongside full waivers for ICLS officers and Ministry of Corporate Affairs officials, for serving and retired armed forces and paramilitary personnel and their wards, and for Agniveers who have completed four years. On examination fees, SC/ST candidates get 50 percent and physically handicapped candidates 75 percent.
Is the CSEET fee refundable?
No. ICSI states refunds are not permitted under any circumstances, including cases where the candidate turns out to be ineligible, with the single exception of double payment. Requests to change the examination centre, module or medium cost Rs 250 per change and are rejected outright if submitted after the published last date. Changing from an Indian centre to Dubai costs the Rs 250 change fee plus the US$100 overseas surcharge.
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