New Delhi: The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has launched a new syllabus for the Company Secretary (CS) Foundation Programme, which will be effective from February 1, 2012 and the examination under this new syllabus will be held from December 2012 session of CS examinations.

Under the new syllabus, Optical Marks Recognition (OMR) based examination (Objective type multiple choice questions) would be conducted for Foundation Programme. The students are eligible to appear in the examination on the basis of self study. The requirement of Coaching Completion Certificate has been discontinued for Foundation Programme Students.

The CS Foundation programme consists of four papers, namely, Business Environment & Entrepreneurship; Business Management, Ethics & Communication; Business Economics and Fundamentals of Accounting & Auditing.

Speaking on the occasion, ICSI President Mr. Nesar Ahmad said that the professionalism and the knowledge base has to happen at the grass root level and the revision of syllabus is the first step towards this direction. He further said that in addition to the awareness of legal aspects the students will be taught various aspects of business environment and entrepreneurship coupled with communication skills.

Foundation Programme, which is of eight months duration, can be pursued by 10+2 pass or equivalent students of Arts, Science or Commerce stream (Excluding Fine Arts)

Cut off dates for admission to CS course: 31st March for appearing in December Examination in the same year, and 30th September for June Examination next year.