UXL Exams
UXL Exams
CS
Professional
The final step to becoming a qualified Company Secretary.
CS Professional
CS Professional is the third and final level of the CS programme. It follows CS Executive and is the last examination stage before a candidate becomes eligible for ICSI membership and the full CS designation. Candidates study advanced areas including ESG, corporate restructuring, compliance management, strategic finance, and insolvency. The level includes elective papers allowing specialisation in tax, arbitration, forensic audit, banking law, or AI and cybersecurity laws. Clearing both groups of CS Professional, combined with 21 months of practical training, makes a candidate eligible for Associate Membership of ICSI (ACS designation).
- Candidates who have cleared both groups of CS Executive
- Those aiming for senior corporate roles- Company Secretary of a listed company, Compliance Head, Legal Director
- Those who wish to set up independent practice as a Practicing Company Secretary (PCS)
- Candidates wanting to specialise via elective papers in tax, arbitration, forensic audit, insolvency, banking, or AI/cyber security laws
One of the most accessible certifications in India.
A candidate must have cleared both groups of CS Executive before registering for CS Professional. Partial clearance (only one group) does not qualify. No separate age limit beyond what applies at the Executive level. Registration is done through ICSI's official portal.
- 1Both groups of CS Executives must be cleared- this is the only prerequisite
- 2Exams conducted in English; proficiency expected
- 3No work experience required to register for CS Professional
- 4The mandatory 21 months of practical training is a separate requirement that can be completed at any point, including after clearing CS Professional
- 5Registration through ICSI's official portal at icsi.edu
CS Professional follows the same performance-based exemption system as CS Executive. Scoring 60 marks or above in any individual paper within a group exempts the candidate from re-appearing in that paper in all future attempts- even if the group as a whole was not cleared. The exemption carries forward automatically. Negative marking (0.25 per wrong answer) applies to the objective section of applicable papers, so candidates should be careful while attempting those questions.
There are no cross-course exemptions that allow skipping CS Professional or any of its papers. However, completing CS Professional and obtaining ICSI membership opens international reciprocal arrangements:
Chartered Governance Institute (CGI), UK & Ireland- ICSI members are exempt from 14 of 17 CGI exams; only 3 core papers needed for CGI membership
CISI- ICSI membership qualifies for automatic ACSI associate membership
Professional bodies in Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia- reduced requirements under ICSI's bilateral tie-ups
Pattern, marking & retake policy.
Offline- pen-and-paper, at designated ICSI examination centres across India. Elective papers are open-book but still conducted offline at the exam centre. No online option exists at this level.
Each paper is 3 hours, plus 15 minutes of reading time before writing begins (total sitting: 3 hours 15 minutes). Reading time is 2:00 PM – 2:15 PM; exam time is 2:15 PM – 5:15 PM. Open-book elective papers are conducted at the exam centre in the same offline format- candidates may bring reference material but must still appear at the centre. June session — June 1–8 — enrollment deadline ~March 25 (no late fee); ~April 9 (with late fee). December session — December 22–29 — enrollment deadline ~September 25 (no late fee); early October (with late fee).
- Minimum 40% in each individual paper within the group
- Minimum 50% aggregate across all papers within that group
- Both conditions must be met simultaneously
- No negative marking for descriptive answers; 0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer in the 20% objective section
- Cleared groups are retained permanently- only failed groups need to be retaken
- No cap on total attempts
- Cleared groups are retained- only failed groups need to be retaken
- Papers with 60+ marks carry forward as exemptions in all future attempts
- No mandatory cooling-off period between attempts
- Fresh enrollment application and fee are required for each session
How to register for CS Professional.
No offline registration route exists
Source: Direct from ICSI portal
What you get & how to stay current.
- After clearing both groups of CS Professional and completing the mandatory 21 months of practical training, the candidate becomes eligible for Associate Membership of ICSI. Membership is issued in physical form and can be verified through the official ICSI member portal at icsi.edu. There is currently no blockchain-based verification; verification is done directly through the ICSI member registry.
Membership must be renewed annually- fees payable between 1st April and 30th June each year
Separate fee structures for Associate Members (ACS) and Fellow Members (FCS)
20 CPE hours required per year under ICSI CPE Guidelines, 2019
The full CS course- all three levels plus 21 months of practical training- typically takes 3 to 4 years. At the Professional level, candidates can attempt both groups in the same session; most take 1–2 years, given the ~26% pass rate. Registration validity at the Professional level is 5 years. If not completed within this period, Registration De Novo can be applied for by paying the prescribed fee; failing to do so will cancel registration benefits and require starting fresh.
After clearing both groups of CS Professional and completing the mandatory 21 months of practical training, the candidate becomes eligible for Associate Membership of ICSI. Membership is issued in physical form and can be verified through the official ICSI member portal at icsi.edu. There is currently no blockchain-based verification; verification is done directly through the ICSI member registry.
Where this certification takes you.
CS Professional vs. close alternatives.
A factual side-by-side against the certifications people most often compare it to.
Yes. No mandatory attendance requirements. Exams held twice a year (June and December). Candidates can pace group attempts around work schedules- many attempt one group per session. ICSI officially permits the 21 months of practical training to be completed at any time, including after all Professional exams, thereby removing the biggest scheduling constraint for working professionals.
Official resources & links.
All resources are hosted directly by ICSI. Past papers from 2020 onwards are free to download along with official suggested answers and practice manuals.
Key update categories to track via ICSI Announcements:
CS Professional June 2026 exams commenced on 1 June 2026
December 2025 results declared on 25 February 2026
CS New Syllabus 2025 shifted more advanced content to the Professional level from the Executive- effective from the December 2025 session; the current operative syllabus is 2022
Elective paper structure unchanged- candidates choose one from each group's options
Clear CS Professional in 1–2 years.
At the Professional level, candidates can attempt both groups in the same session; most take 1–2 years, given the ~26% pass rate.