Company Secretary (CS)

Company Secretary (CS) is a honorific, prestigious title per se, that is bestowed upon a professional by a statutory body albeit only after successful completion of all the three levels ie CS Foundation, CS Executive and CS Professional exam. The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is the only professional body in India that has been formed for regulating and developing the highly esteemed profession of Company Secretaries in India. The ICSI was fundamentally established as a statutory body via an act of the Parliament ie the Company Secretaries Act,1980. Ministry of Corporate Affairs is the parent body that governs the entire functioning of ICSI and at present, there are around 62000 members along with 3.5lac students that are enrolled with the ICSI. Company Secretary is hence a very reputable and senior position both in a private as well as in a public sector company. A Company Secretary is considered as a Key Managerial Personnel (KMP) in a company wherein he regularly deals with the top level management and the primary role of a CS is to act as a bridge between an organization and its innumerable shareholders, board of directors, government and regulatory authorities. A Company Secretary meticulously ensures that the rules of a company are being acquiesced with, and a CS is thus considered as an admirable appellation to hold.

Company Secretaries also renders their advisory on good governance practices, that is accompanied with thorough compliance of Corporate Governance norms, that are in regards to the broad based Securities and Business Laws. Also with the dynamic transmogrification of the eclectic business world, the role of a Company Secretary has expanded manifolds.
The erstwhile job role of a CS was to just assist the top management and the board of directors however in today's business oriented world, a Company Secretary is considered as a "conscience seeker" for a company, as he performs several different roles that range from handling the enervating legal matters to ensuring diligent corporate governance and also looking after corporate social responsibility, besides greatly dealing with the statutory regulations that have increased immensely with the growing need for maintaining complete transparency by an organization, at all times.
A qualified Company Secretary can hence work in both public and private business entities, he can even explore the heterogeneous and labyrinth stock exchange, wherefrom a CS can expect great returns. Also a Company Secretary can have his own firm wherein he can render his astute advisory to his clients and one can hence conclude that in today's day and age, the job of a Company Secretary is a highly rewarding one.
However it's not easy to undertake a strenuous professional course as it demands not only great dedication and consistent, regular study but also the right guidance of teachers who can help us excel in this journey dor becoming a qualified Company Secretary.
There are three mandatory levels that a student must clear so as to be a competent and certified Company Secretary and these three levels are -
• CS Executive Entrance Test (CSEET)
• CS Executive
• CS Professional