Career as a Company Secretary - Career in company Secretary is not only prestigious and financially rewarding but also carries with it a high level of job satisfaction.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Career as a Company Secretary

Career in company Secretary is not only prestigious and financially rewarding but also carries with it a high level of job satisfaction.

Employment Prospects

1. A qualified company secretary has openings in Employment and can also practice as an Independent Professional.
2. Pursuant to section 383A of the Companies Act, 1956, companies with a paid-up share capital of Rs. 5 crores or more are compulsorily required to appoint a whole time Company Secretary who must be a member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
   
   
   
   
   3. All companies seeking listing on Stock Exchange are required to appoint a whole time company secretary.
   4. Almost every kind of organization whose affairs are conducted by boards, councils or other corporate structures, be it a company, trust, association, federation, authority, commission or the like, finds it useful to appoint a person who holds the qualification of Company Secretaryship in key administrative position.
   5. Membership of the Institute is recognized for appointment to superior posts and services under Central Government.

   Self-Employment/Practising Company Secretaries

   1. After obtaining a ‘Certificate of Practice’ from the Institute, Members of the Institute can go in for Independent Practice.
   2. Every company having a paid-up share capital of Rs. Ten Lakhs or more but less than Rs. five Crores is required to engage the services of a Secretary in Whole-Time Practice for issue of Compliance Certificate.
   3. Pursuant to Clause 49 of the Listing Agreement, Practising Company Secretaries have been authorized to issue Certificate regarding compliance of conditions of Corporate Governance as stipulated in the Clause.
   4. Practising Company Secretaries have also been recognized to appear before various Tribunals such as Company Law Board, Securities Appellate Tribunal, Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission, Competition Commission of India, Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal, Consumer Forums, Tax Tribunals etc.
   5. Recently, the Reserve Bank of India has recognized the Practising Company Secretaries to undertake Diligence Report for Banks.

   “The Institute of Company Secretaries of India” (ICSI) is a premier National Professional body established by Act of Parliament to develop and regulate the Profession of Company Secretaries.

   ICSI imparts training in Company Secretaryship by Distance Learning (by correspondence) enabling students to qualify as Company Secretaries. The Institute provides “Course Material” for all the subjects at the time of Registration. There is also provision for Optional Oral Coaching classes.

   The Company Secretaryship Course: A course that transforms students into corporate professonals.

   Stages to become a Company Secretary:

   The student who would like to join the Course after 10+2 has to undergo three stages to pursue the Company Secretaries Course i.e.

   1. Foundation Programme
   2. Executive Programme
   3. Professional Programme

   The Student who would like to join the Course after passing the Graduation has to undergo two stages of the Company Secretaryship i.e.

   1. Executive Programme
   2. Professional Programme

   Foundation Programme which is of eight months duration can be pursued by 10+2 pass students of Arts, Science or Commerce stream (Excluding Fine Arts)

   Executive Programme can be pursued by a Graduate of all streams except Fine Arts.

   Professional Programme can be pursued only after clearing the Executive Programme of CS Course.

   Career as a Company Secretary