Pune (Voice news service):- The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) celebrated its 55th Foundation Day recently, in New Delhi, with esteemed guests including the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, and the Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate
Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman. This milestone event drew around 50,000 participants, both in-person and virtually, representing Company Secretaries, Industry Leaders, Government Officials, and Corporate Professionals.
During the celebration, ICSI unveiled a crucial initiative: The ICSI Fee Waiver Scheme for Defence Personnel, Agniveers, and the families of Martyrs. The Institute also generously donated Rs. 11,00,000/- to the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, to support the education of Martyrs’ daughters.
In another significant endeavor, ICSI organized a Corporate Tax Conference in Dubai, UAE, in partnership with ICSI Middle East (DIFC) NPIO, focusing on the theme “UAE Corporate Tax – A New Paradigm Towards Transparency and Good Governance.”
Additionally, the 2nd International Conference of ICSI Overseas Centre took place in London, United Kingdom. The conference’s theme, “Strengthening Global Governance for an Equitable, Inclusive, and Sustainable Future,” provided a unique platform for engaging discussions on global governance issues, featuring contributions from eminent speakers from various jurisdictions.
ICSI has introduced several initiatives to benefit its members. The ICSI International ADR Centre is a multi-city, multi-nation project aimed at creating an
ecosystem to complement the existing judicial structure, de-clog courts, and
expedite justice delivery.
ICSI Start-up and MSME Catalyst initiative offers support for start-ups and MSMEs,
with Company Secretaries providing assistance in areas such as registration, accounting, tax, finance, and compliance.
The ICSI Institute of Social Auditors (ICSI-ISA) was launched to play a pivotal role in social audit and impact assessment in line with the formation of Social Stock Exchanges under SEBI Regulations. ICSI has developed the ICSI Social Audit Standards (ICSI-SAS), covering all 16 activities outlined in Regulation 292E(2)(a) of SEBI (ICDR) Regulations 2018, providing guidance for conducting social audits of social enterprises involved in these activities.
ICSI’s digital transformation efforts have been noteworthy. The Institute has transitioned its remote learning landscape into real-time by conducting webinars, offering online Self-Assessment Modules, Crash Courses, and Certificate Courses. It has also provided free video lectures to up skill its members and students since
- Furthermore, ICSI introduced an e-credit hour facility for members to
support their continuous professional development.
The digitization process also led to the integration of the Digi Locker Platform of the Government of India, enabling members and students to easily download and save their important documents, such as Identity Cards, Certificates, and Pass Certificates.
CS Manish Gupta, President, The ICSI, New Delhi said, “The Institute came up with its new curriculum for Executive and Professional Program students to ensure the cutting-edge knowledge insights with renewed excellence towards New ICSI 2023.
Examination for Executive Programme under the New Syllabus was successfully conducted in December, and for Professional Programme the same shall be conducted in June.”
Talking about the achievement of the institute, he said “Institute caters to create awareness about the profession of Company Secretaries among thousands of Schools and Students. The Institute has created a Grievance Solutions Cell which is monitoring the ommunications received through the Support Portal. The Call Centre established by the Institute is available to all the stakeholders. “
ICSI has received significant recognitions. The University Grants Commission (UGC) recognized the Company Secretary Qualification as equivalent to a Post Graduate Degree. The UKENIC (formerly UK NARIC), UK’s National Agency for vocational, academic, and professional qualifications, benchmarked the ICSI qualification as equivalent to Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in the UK and UAE.
The Chartered Secretary Journal, an ICSI publication, was listed under the Prestigious Journals by UGC-CARE (Consortium for Academic Research and Ethics), enhancing its global reach and impact.
The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) recognition further expanded the role of Practicing Company Secretaries, allowing them to certify the average annual turnover and net worth of entities dealing with gold through the India International Bullion Exchange.
SEBI has bestowed new recognitions upon Company Secretaries. They can now provide expert opinions and certify compliance reports as part of SEBI’s regulatory processes. Additionally, Company Secretaries can serve as compliance officers for Online Bond Platform Providers (OBPP).
ICSI has also initiated the Guru Shrestha Awards to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of educators in the field of Commerce, Law, and Management. These awards recognize faculties working in universities with which ICSI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
ICSI’s global footprint has been expanding with the establishment of Overseas Centres in the UAE, USA, UK, Singapore, Australia, and Canada, leaving an indelible footprint both overseas and in our stalwart nation.
