CS (Company Secretary) India Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the CS (Company Secretary) India, eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
₹20,000-₹40,000 total
Provider
ICSI
Validity
Lifetime
Available
India
Education
Check official exam requirements
Experience
1-3 years of hands-on experience recommended
Specific 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.
Number of 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.
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.
Question Format
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
Passing Requirement
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.
How It Is Delivered
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.
Languages Offered
English, Hindi (medium is selected at enrolment; a change of medium costs Rs 250)
Visit the official ICSI certification page
Create an account and select your exam
Choose a test center or online proctoring option
Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation email
- For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet
What are the prerequisites for the CS (Company Secretary) India?
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..
How much does the CS (Company Secretary) India cost?
The CS (Company Secretary) India exam costs ₹20,000-₹40,000 total. This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the CS (Company Secretary) India?
Visit the official ICSI certification page → Create an account and select your exam → Choose a test center or online proctoring option → Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
What should I bring to the CS (Company Secretary) India?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation email. For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet.
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