Journey to Become a Company Secretary
My journey to become a Company Secretary was full of hard work and sacrifices.
What is Company Secretary?
A company secretary is one of the leading professional courses specially designed for students from a commerce stream background. However, the course allows students from all streams to apply after passing their 12th Standard exam.
Course Structure and Eligibility
Students from all streams (Commerce, Science, and Humanities) can register for this course after passing their 12th standard school board exam. A professional body offers this course in India called “The Institute of Company Secretaries of India,” and the best part of this course is that it is available via distance learning, so you can prepare and complete this course without the hassle of leaving your small town and moving to metro cities in India for better study opportunities.
Course Structure comprises of 3 levels:
1. CSEET (Also called Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test) Program
2. CS Executive Program
3. CS Professional Program
In addition, the successful candidate must undergo practical management training for approximately a period of approx. Twenty months to finally become a certified CS from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
Time management
CSEET
Since I started my CS after graduating, there is no need to appear for the CS Foundation program (CSEET). However, I can say basis my colleague’s experience, and you need to study 5-6 HRS daily, which includes
1. Either going through the study material provided by ICSI or
2. If you have enrolled with some private coaching institute, then 4 HRS of attending online lectures + 1 HR 30 mins. of reading and finally 30 mins. Daily MCQ practice.
Trust me; this would be sufficient to crack the CSEET exam on your first attempt.
CS Executive
This is a stage where your skills are tested. At this level, the study material provided by ICSI might not be sufficient, and you should consider enrolling yourself in private coaching if you want to crack it in your first attempt. Various online coaching service providers are available on YouTube to make your life easier. However, you need to choose the best CS Faculties in India, and if they are into this profession exclusively to provide CS coaching, then nothing is better.
One of the top coaching for CS is CS AMIT VOHRA CLASSES, who have been in this profession for the last 18 years. Their USP only focuses on best CS coaching, which differentiates them from other providers. This helps the students get the latest updated materials and lectures covering the whole syllabus and prepare them by providing sample papers, revisionary sessions, and whatnot.
Coming back to the study plan for CS Executive, it varies based on your selection. For example, if you opt to appear for both the modules together, then the daily study of 12 HRS is required, which includes 8 HRS of attending online lectures + 2 HRS of reading and 2 HRS of MCQs.
Whereas if you opt to appear for 1 module only, then this daily plan will be proportionately reduced to 8HRS a day
CS Professional
The most challenging level. So, after getting your skills tested in CS Executive, when you land yourself at CS Professional level, the world should not exist for you. This is the final stage, and the toughest of all since the passing percentage in it is hardly 2-4%. So, if 100 students had given the exam, only 2-4 students would be the lucky ones to put CS before their name.
But don’t worry, I am not here to scare you. It is difficult but not impossible. It only requires a Consistent and Sincere daily study plan wherein you must ensure you complete your whole syllabus at least two months before the exam date. During that two month, you must revise it more than two times and practice as many MCQs as possible before the exam days.
Finally, after putting all the hard work and being Consistent and Sincere towards achieving your CS qualification, a day will appear when you can proudly add these two magical words “CS” in front of your name.
Life After Becoming CS
After you pass the exam and are done with your industrial training, your life does change significantly. You start behaving like a professional. Your daily commitments include but are not limited to meeting with business people, big corporate houses, and industry leaders.
You work as a KEY MANAGERIAL PERSONNEL in a company and are responsible for all the legal and compliance decisions. The least I can say is once you become a CS, you get everything, whether it’s money, respect, luxury, or whatnot.
Ocean of Opportunities in Company Secretary
A qualified CS has an ocean of opportunities both in India and abroad, such as:
1. He can work as a corporate employee since a CS is recognized as KEY MANAGERIAL PERSONNEL and the Chief Executive Officer/managing director/whole-time director and Chief Financial officer.
2. He or can be an independent practitioner and be their boss and perform the services for other corporates in the following areas:
1. Legal, Secretarial, and Corporate Governance
2. Corporate restructuring
3. Foreign Collaborations and Joint ventures
4. Capital Market and Investor relations
5. Due Diligence, etc.
3. In addition, ICSI, India also has an MOU with ICSA, London, which opens up a host of opportunities for CS professionals from India globally.