The 1^st level of 3 levels required to be completed to become a Company Secretary is known as CS Foundation. The other 2 levels are known as CS Executive & CS Professional.

The CS Foundation Exam comprises of 4 papers of 50 questions each. All questions are multiple choice questions and the student is awarded 2 marks for every right answer. CS Foundation Exam was earlier conducted through OMR Sheets but from June 2014 onwards, CS Foundation Exam would be conducted through Computers (Refer: http://www.icsi.edu/WebModules/Student/introductionofcomputerbased.htm)

To enroll for CS Exams, a student is first required to register with ICSI for CS Foundation. He would be considered as eligible for appearing for CS Foundation exam only after he has studied for the minimum specified period after registering for CS Foundation.

How to Become a CS (Company secretary)

How to Become a CS (Company secretary)

How to Become a CS (Company secretary)

The next CS Foundation Exam is scheduled to be held on 7th & 8th June 2014. Earlier all 4 papers were conducted on the same day but from June 2014 onwards, exam of first 2 subjects would be conducted on Day 1 and exam of the next 2 subjects would be conducted on Day 2. Students would be required to take a print out of the Admit Card for CS Exams which can be downloaded online.

The Exam schedule is as follows:-

CS Results are usually announced in the month of August & February for June and December exams respectively. For a candidate to be declared as passed, he would be required to score a minimum of 40% marks in each subject and 50% marks in aggregate. The next level after clearing this level is the CS Executive.

Last date of submission of CS Foundation Exam Form

The last date for submitting the Exam Form for appearing in June 2014 Attempt is 25^th March 2013. A Candidate can submit the Exam Form online by logging on the website

https://www.icsi.in/student/

The candidate would be required to login to his account through the login option given on the right top.  After logging in, a direct link will appear for exam registration. The Fees payable at the time of submission of the CS Foundation Exam Form is Rs. 1200 (Total) for all the 4 subjects.

In case a student fails to submit the cs foundation exam form before 25th March 2014, he can submit the same before 10th Oct with a late fees of Rs. 500. However, ICSI has decided to stop the facility of accepting physical exam forms from 1st Oct 2013 and from 1st Oct 2013, only exam forms submitted online would be accepted.

Eligibility for appearing for CS Foundation Exam

For a candidate to be eligible for appearing for this exam, he should have cleared 10+2 Exams. Provisional Registration is also allowed for students who have appeared for their 10+2 Exams and are awaiting their Results.

Moreover, a candidate should also have completed 8 months from the Date of Admission for the CS Course (excluding the month of admission and the month in which the exam is being conducted). Therefore the following are the cut-off dates:-

The fee for admission for the CS Course is as follows:-

Admission Fees                                                                Rs. 1500

Education Fees                                                                 Rs. 3000

                                                                                          Rs. 4500

The Students who have registered before the last date of registration can appear for the respective attempt as mentioned above. The option of coaching completion certificate has been discontinued and no suggested answers would also be provided to the students under this new scheme.

Exemption from appearing for CS Foundation Exams

The following categories of students are exempted from appearing for CS Foundation Exams and can directly appear for CS Executive Exams:-

Any query with respect to CS Foundation Exams June 2014 shall be sent to Mr. Sohan Lal, Director (Student Services), The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, C – 37, Sector 62, Noida – 201309, Tel: 0120-4522-014 (D), Email: sohan.lal@icsi.edu

Suggestions for General and Commercial Laws:-

Chapter 1 – Constitution of India
-Concept of State
-Federal nature of the Constitution
-Fundamental duties
-Difference between directive principles and fundamental rights
-Doctrine of eclipse and doctrine of pith and substance
-Ordinance making powers of the President
-Article 21 of the Indian Constitution
-Can Parliament enact laws on items in the State List?
-Writ jurisdiction of Courts and different types of writs

Chapter 2 – Interpretation of Statutes
-Short Note on Rule of ejusdem generis and the rule of literal construction
-Internal Aids for interpretation
-Short note on Noscitur a sociis Pari Materia
-Discuss the rule of reasonable construction
-Short notes on Heading, Title and Preamble

Chapter 3 -Law relating to Specific Relief, Arbitration and Conciliation, Torts and Limitation & Evidence
-Persons against whom specific performance enforceable and not enforceable
-Short note on declaratory decrees
-Contracts which cannot be specifically enforceable
-Short note on International Commercial Arbitration
-Appointment of Arbitrators
-Provisions for setting aside the arbitral award
-Kinds of Tortious liability
-Law of Limitation bars the remedy but does not extinguish the right – Comment
-Facts of which evidence need not be given
-Short note on Dying Declarations
-When do the statements under special circumstances become relevant ?

Chapter 4 – Law relating to transfer of property
-Transfer for the benefit of unborn person
-Doctrine of fraudulent transfer
-Types of mortgage
-Short note on Doctrine of Election
-Distinguish between mortgage and charge
-Doctrine of Lis Pendens
-Doctrine of part performance of contracts

Chapter 5 – Law relating to stamps
-Different methods of stamping
-Time of stamping documents
-Consequences of unstamping of documents
-Short note on Denoting Duty

Chapter 6 – Law relating to registration of documents
-Registration of wills
-Time for registration of documents
-Effects of non-registration
-Documents whose registration is compulsory and whose registration is optional

Chapter 7 – Information Technology – an overview
-Concept of Digital Signature
-Legal recognition of electronic records
-Certifying Authorities
-Domain names & hacking
-Difference between computer and computer network

Chapters 8 & 9 – Code of Civil and Criminal Procedure
-Re judicata and Res subjudice
-Place of suing
-Distinguish between judgment, decree and order
-Distinguish between reference, review and revision
-Distinguish between investigation, inquiry and trial
-Powers of the police officer to arrest without warrant
-Short note on power of Magistrate in case of apprehended danger

Chapter 10 – Law relating to RTI
-Duties of a PIO
-The categories of information exempted from the requirement of the RTI Act
-Manner in which request can be made by a citizen for information under the RTI Act

CS Executive Important Questions

Chapters 1 – 5 – Company Incorporation etc.
-Distinguish between company and partnership
-Lifting of Corporate Veil
-Concept of company as a citizen
-Short note on illegal association
-Legal position of promoters
-Various clauses of MOA and AOA and their alteration
-Doctrine of Ultra Vires
-Statutory Corporations as State within the meaning of Article 12 of the Indian Constitution
-Pre-incorporation contracts vs. Provisional Contracts

Chapters 6 – 11 – Financial Structure
-Conclusiveness of Certificate of Incorporation
-Issue of shares at premium
-Liability for misstatement in a prospectus
-Issue of shares on rights basis and bonus shares
-Does forfeiture amounts to reduction of capital
-Buy back of shares
-Registration of charges
-Short note on debentures and sweat equity shares
-Forfeiture of shares and surrender of shares
-Voting rights on preference shares

Chapters 12 – 13 Membership, depositories and transfer / transmission
-Modes of acquiring membership
-Expulsion of a member
-Rights of joint members
-Transmission of shares and Nomination of shares

Chapter 14 – 18 – Management and Control of companies
-Resignation of directors
-Appointment of additional directors and directors appointed to fill casual vacancy
-Office or place of profit
-Liability of Non-Executive Directors
-Appointment of director by small shareholders
-Disqualifications of directors
-Powers which the BOD may exercise only with the approval of shareholders
-Disclosure of interest by directors
-Officer in default
-Appointment of Managing Director
-Role of a company secretary
-Short note on AGM
-Duties and role of Chairman
-Methods of ascertaining sense of the meeting
-Proxy in general meetings
-Passing of resolutions by way of postal ballot
-Conduct of Board and General Meetings through video-conferencing

Chapter 19 – Investments and Loans
-Investments to be held in company’s name
-Inter-corporate loans and investments

Chapter 20 – Deposits
-Small depositors
-Advertisement for raising deposits

Chapter 21 – Accounts and Audit
-Director’s responsibility statement
-What are the various methods of appointing auditor in a company ?
-Attachment of subsidiary accounts to the holding company
-Liabilities of an auditor
-Short note on Director’s Report and Audit Committee

Chapter 22 -Dividend
-Transfers of profits to reserves before declaration of dividend
-Short note on interim dividend
-Investor Education and Protection Fund

Chapters 23 – 24 – Sole selling agent, accounts etc.
-Attachment of accounts of subsidiary companies with the accounts of the holding company
-Disclosures in the Director’s report pursuant to the listing agreement

Chapter 25 – 28 – Oppression and Mismanagement etc.
-Statutory registers of a company
-Investigation into the affairs of a company
-Rule of Foss vs. Harbottle and its exceptions
-Compromise and Arrangements

Other Chapters –
-Law relating to trusts and societies
-Concept of producer company
-Short note on LLP
-Short note on winding up of a company
-Powers of a court to wind up a company
-Short Note on DIN
-Short notes on Back offices, front offices etc.

CS Executive Important Questions

Chapter 1 – IDRA
-Industrial Licence
-Industrial Entrepreneur’s Memorandum
-COB Licence
-Calculation of value of plant and machinery
-MSMED Act, 2006

Chapter 2 – Foreign Trade Policy and Procedures
-Special Economic Zones
-IEC Code
-Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana
-Focus Product and Focus Market Scheme

Chapters 3 – 6 – Trade, Competition and Consumer Protection
-Regulation of Combinations in detail
-Predatory Pricing and Bid Rigging
-Abuse of Dominant position
-Short note on Competition Commission of India
-Redressal Machinery under the Act
-Definition of Consumer
-Case laws on deficiency of service
-Other case laws given in the class

Chapters 7 & 8 – Essential Commodities and Standard of Weights and Measures
-Powers of the CG under the Essential Commodities Act
-Definition of Essential Commodities
-Concept of seizure and confiscation of essential commodities
-Declaration to be made on standard packages
-Maximum permissible error
-Short note on Principal Display Panel

Chapter 9 and 10 – FEMA & FCRA
-Short note on permissible capital and current account transactions
-Raising of funds through ADRs and GDRs
-Direct Investment in a JV / Wholly owned subsidiary outside India
-Establishment of branch, project and liaison offices
-Concept of Authorised person
-Restrictions on acceptance of foreign contributions by certain associations
-Restrictions on acceptance of foreign hospitality

Chapters 11 & 12 – Pollution Laws
-Concept of Sustainable development
-Short note on Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
-Short note on Pollution Control Boards
-Power of Central Government relating to entry, inspection and take samples etc.
-Short note on environmental clearances
-Short note on the case MC Mehta vs. Union of India
-Short note on Noise pollution
-National Green Tribunal Act

Chapter 13 – Intellectual property rights
-Contents of complete specification
-Restoration of lapsed patents
-Grant of Compulsory licences in connection with IPRs
-Concept of new inventions and patentable inventions
-Removal of trademark for non-use
-Short note on Collective Marks
-Short note on assignment of copyrights

Chapter 14 – Prevention of Money Laundering
-What is money laundering ?
-Short note on Financial Action Task Force

Chapter 15 – Minimum Wages Act, 1948
-Mandatory payment of minimum wages to the workers

Chapters 16 – 17 – Payment of Bonus and Gratuity
-Short notes on amount of gratuity payable to a worker
-Rights and obligations of employers w.r.t to payment of gratuity
-Computation of bonus payable to the workers
-Payment of Customary or interim bonus to the employees
-Can gratuity payable to workers be attached by a decree of Court ?

Chapters 18 – 19 – Provident Fund and ESI Act
-Short note on Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme
-What do you mean by Employees Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme
-Short note on Employees’ State Insurance
-What do you mean by employment injury under the ESI Act?

Chapters – 20 – 21 – Employees’ Compensation and Contract Labour
-Employer’s liability for payment of compensation to workers when contractor is engaged
-Distinguish between partial disablement and total disablement
-Prohibition of employment of contract labour
-Welfare and health of contract labour

Chapter 22 – Industrial Disputes Act
-Unfair Labour Practices
-Reference of industrial disputes through arbitration
-Distinguish between lay off and lock out
-Whether individual dispute can be said to be industrial dispute ?
-Discuss the various types of strikes
-Wages for the strike period

Chapter 23 – 24 –Standing Orders and Factories Act
-Payment of subsistence allowance
-Matters to be provided in the standing orders
-Annual leave with wages
-Definition of factory
-What do you mean by manufacturing process ?
-Who can be appointed as Occupier of factories ?

CS Executive Important Questions

Chapter 1 & 2 – Securities Market
-Powers and Role of SEBI
-Relation between securities market and economic growth
-Composition of SEBI and SAT

Chapters 3 & 4 – Money Market & Capital Market Instruments
-Distinguish between Commercial Paper and Certificate of Deposit
-Money market mutual funds
-Short notes on tracking stocks and disaster bonds
-What do mean by participatory notes ?
-Short notes on ETFs, Hedge Funds & Fund of Funds
-Short note on Secured premium notes and derivatives
-Different kinds of bonds

Chapter 5 – Credit Rating
-Standard rating symbols
-Short note on rating process
-Factors considered by rating agencies for rating

Chapter 6 – Capital Market Intermediaries
-Short note on Merchant Bankers, RTAs and SROs
-Obligations of Stock brokers and sub brokers
-Obligations of the intermediaries under the Prevention of M L d i A Money Laundering Act
-Obligations of underwriters and portfolio managers

Chapters 7 & 8 – Stock Exchanges
-Recognition of Stock Exchanges
-Application for listing of securities to SEs
-Demutualisation of Stock Exchanges
-Trading & Settlement Mechanism and STP
-Market abuse mechanisms
-Obligations under Cl. 49 of Listing Agreement

Chapter 9 – Mutual Funds
-Different types of Mutual funds
-Short note on Asset Management Company
-Advertisement Code of Mutual Funds

Chapters 10 & 11 – Venture Capital and Collective Investment Scheme
-Short notes on Foreign Venture capital investors
-Short note on Collective Investment Scheme

Chapter 12 – Buy Back of Securities
-Securities not available for buy back
-Buy back of shares from non-resident shareholders
-Buy back through book building process

Chapter 13 – Depositories
-Benefits of the depository system
-Internal audit of operations of depository participants
-Rights and obligations of the depository participants

Chapter 14 – Public Issue of Securities
-Green Shoe Option
-Different types of book building processes
-Short note on Employee Stock Option Scheme
-Short note on reservation on competitive basis
-Short note on Fast Track Issues
-Requirements of preferential allotment

Chapter 15 – Debt Market
-Various types of debt market instruments
-Debt market intermediaries
-Short note on listing of debt securities

Chapters 16 – 18 – International Capital Market and Investor Protection
-Short note on FCCBs and ECBs
-Short notes on Road shows
-Procedure for making issue of IDRs
-Legal framework for investor protection in India
-Who is an Ombudsman?

Tip :  Practicing at-least one problem per one new model question is definitely useful for you .

That’s it.

 All the Best friends..!