Company Secretary
Nature of Work
A Company Secretary is a very important functionary in an organization. Company Secretaries can work in both public & private companies, and deal with aspects of management which relate to the company as a legal entity. The work of Company Secretaries covers a wide variety of functions. They keep the records of a company, complete the company´s tax returns, and advice the board of directors of their legal obligations. They need to understand the relevant aspects of law, keep up with the changes, and be familiar with any legislation affecting the business of the company. They arrange the company meetings, collect & compile information for them, and record the decisions. They are the administrators who assist in management, planning, and the general running of the company.
Thus, a Company Secretary´s service is very important for a company´s management. She/he acts as a vital link between the company, the board of directors, the shareholders, and the governmental and regulatory agencies. She/he is a compliance officer of the company as well as the Corporate Planner and Strategic Manager. Apart from carrying out these functions, she/he also looks after finance & accounts, and legal, personnel, & administrative functions. A Company Secretary is required to handle matters related to Central/State sales tax, excise laws, labour laws, and corporate law.
Where to Study
Institute |
Eligibility |
The Institute of Company Secretaries of |
10+2 |
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, |
10+2 |
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, |
10+2 |
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, |
10+2 |
Prospects
Exposure to detailed study and practical training in various fields adds to the versatility of a Company Secretary. A qualified Company Secretary is competent enough to take up a wide range of responsibilities in legal, secretarial, finance, accounts, personnel, and administrative departments of companies or other organizations in the private and the public sectors. Almost every kind of organization whose affairs are controlled by boards or councils and other corporate structures (be it a co-operative society, association, federation, or statutory authority) finds it beneficial to appoint a qualified Company Secretary.
Qualified Company Secretaries can find well-paid positions in the private sector and public corporate sector, banks and financial institutions, stock exchanges, the Department of Company Affairs, company law boards, and government departments. The larger the company and the wider its field of activity, the better the emoluments earned by the CS. Private consultancy jobs are a very lucrative option.
A CS can also become an adviser to a single company or several companies. Company Secretaries may be appointed to superior posts and services under the Central Government, or recruited to the accounts branch of the Central Company Law Service of the Department of Company Affairs.
Study Route
To become a Company Secretary, the candidate needs to pass the Foundation, Intermediate, and Final course conducted by the Institute, and further, she/he needs to undergo practical training to become eligible for membership as a Company Secretary.
i. Candidates who have passed the Senior Secondary Examination (10+2) can apply for the
Foundation course.
ii. Graduates, post-graduates (excluding fine arts), and those who have passed final exam
of ICWAI or ICAI, or of any other accountancy institution in India or abroad recognized by the
Council of the Institute, can directly enrol to the Intermediate course without doing Foundation
course.
iii. Candidate who have passed the Intermediate exam can apply for final course.
iv. Registration for each examination should be done at least nine months before the month in
which the examination is held.
v. The examinations are usually held in June and December every year.
vi. Study material is provided to the students at the time of admission.