Become a Company Secretary
How to become a Company Secretary (CS) in India — the ICSI route, eligibility, and career options and salary.
Salary range
₹6–10 LPA → ₹30 LPA+
Certification
1 required
Entry via
CSEET
Where
India
About this career
A Company Secretary (CS) is a company's governance and corporate-law expert, ensuring compliance with the Companies Act, SEBI listing rules and board processes. For listed and larger companies the CS is a statutory Key Managerial Personnel (KMP), making it a respected, secure and well-paid governance career. Qualification is through the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) across three stages — CSEET, Executive and Professional — with practical training. CS professionals work in corporate secretarial, compliance and legal teams, or in independent practice signing secretarial audit and compliance certificates.
Certifications for a Company Secretary (CS)
Company Secretary (ICSI) · CS
Issued by Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)
The qualification itself — CSEET, Executive and Professional stages plus training.
Entry & recruitment exams
Your path to becoming a Company Secretary
- 1
Clear the exam
CSEET
Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test
- 2
Get certified
Company Secretary (ICSI) (CS)
Issued by Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)
- 3
Get hired
Land a Company Secretary role
Employers like Listed & large corporates, CS firms (practice)
Eligibility
- check_circle10+2 to start via CSEET; graduates get direct entry to Executive.
- check_circleClear ICSI Executive and Professional programmes.
- check_circleComplete the practical training requirement.
What the role does
- arrow_rightEnsure compliance with the Companies Act and SEBI rules.
- arrow_rightManage board and general meetings and minutes.
- arrow_rightHandle filings, disclosures and secretarial audit.
- arrow_rightAdvise the board on governance and corporate law.
Salary bands
Corporate secretarial roles
Company Secretary / compliance head
Group CS / governance leadership
Key skills
Who hires
Career progression
Step 1
Clear CS (ICSI)
CSEET → Executive → Professional
Step 2
Company Secretary
Corporate secretarial & compliance
Step 3
Group CS / Compliance Head
Governance leadership (KMP)
Frequently asked questions
What does a Company Secretary do?expand_more
A CS ensures a company follows corporate law and governance requirements — managing board processes, filings, disclosures and secretarial audit — and for listed/large companies is a statutory Key Managerial Personnel.
CS or CA — which is better?expand_more
They are different: CA focuses on accounting, audit and tax; CS focuses on corporate law, governance and compliance. Choose based on whether you prefer finance or governance/legal work; some hold both.
Ready to start your Company Secretary (CS) journey?
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