Productivity is not an accident. It is the combined output of commitment to excellence, intelligent planning & focused effort. – Anonymous.
Any professional course requires a lot of juice to race to the finish line. It is very easy to start something but to hold on to it & taking it to the completion stage is the real deal. A famous American Author & a celebrated motivational speaker of his time, Mr. Zig Ziglar once said, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing, that’s why we recommend it daily”.
There are a variety of professional courses at offer. Company secretary, Chartered Accountant, Cost & Management Accountant, Actuarial science, Certified Public Accountant (USA), Certified Practicing Accountant (Australia), Chartered Financial Analyst, Certified Information Systems Auditor, Chartered secretaries & Administrators etc. are a few worth the mention.
In this article I’m going to focus on Company secretary course. This course is for those who are seeking a dynamic career in corporate law & can steer the helm of a corporate house safely at the face of legal turbulences. There role generally revolves around advising the Board of Directors on matters of importance & ensure the Company remains compliant of all the laws that are applicable to them. This role indeed is a tough nut to crack, but if you are spirited to run the show, yet stay at the background then this is your calling.
A Company Secretary (CS) is a robust professional who embarks the role of a Compliance officer, Liaison officer & Administrative officer of a company. The Legal or Compliance or Secretarial Department, by whatever name it goes is generally headed by the CS. It is a senior management position in a Company & is also one among the Key Managerial Personnel in the Panel of a Company. A CS practices in various domains. Not merely concentrating on Corporate laws, these smart professional are finding depth in areas of Intellectual property, Business advisory, International laws, Commercial laws, Economic growth & development projects & many others. Being one among the youngest professional bodies in the world, CS as a profession is in its growing stage & thus holds a whole lot of opportunities.
It is a fast growing field of studies which entails a great deal of expertise in various core disciplines of Corporate laws, Industrial-labour laws, Business-Commercial Laws, & also touches upon various related subjects like Drafting, Taxation, Financial management, Corporate accounting, Cost Accounting, Management Accounting, Business Management & Communication. Also a mandatory internship & host of short training structure alongside the theoretical knowledge makes it a great package contributing in shaping competent professionals.
But, all this is definitely not a simple ABC. It takes a lot of heat to become a CS. It has about 21 subjects in the course divided into 3 levels: Foundation; Executive & Professional. This is provided by Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). A student after successfully completing the Professional level & all the necessary practical trainings qualifies to apply for a CS membership with ICSI.
Some people cross this bridge at a single go, whilst others may take a few attempts. But there is nothing bad in it. One must not fall at the face of adversity. It is the mettle of the journey that is more important than the Goal. In the words of Chris Howard, “Your destiny is forged in the fires of your determination.” A thorough study of the ICSI modules, understanding well the levels of knowledge required & with ample practice of writing concepts & taking up mock exams one can sure taste success. Anyone can become a CS by devoting 100 to 200 hours to each subject. For the Foundation level study period of 2 months is sufficient, while in Executive it may take up to 6 to 8 months & in Professional level it may take up to 8 to 10 months to write & clear the papers in the first attempt. Having said this, I’d like you to take these numbers being subject to the quantum of concentration, quantum of time devoted to study, the style of study, etc. It is important to remember that the actual work that a CS is responsible for & the kind of liability that is associated with the job profile is tougher than the task of prefixing “CS” before your name.
This profile is excruciatingly risky, but the reward is not that overwhelming. In the words of Calvin Coolidge, “No person was ever honored for what he received; honour has been rewarded for what he gave.” The life of a CS is something similar. This professional has a certain standing & respect, however in my opinion there is a long way to climb for this professional. The increasing demand of CS in the market is raising the bar of rewards.
Overall, I feel it is a great profession for someone who has a risk appetite & does not mind keeping up with the frequent changes in various laws. Always remember what Brian Tracy had to say, “Make your life a masterpiece; imagine no limitations on what you can be, have or do.”
Hope you make a wise choice. Happy Educating!
Ms. Agrata Mukherjee
CS, LLB, PGDBCL, B.Com
Business Development - Head
Arivu Educational Consultants Pvt Ltd.