NISM IFSCA-01: Frequently Asked Questions

It is NISM's Certification Course on Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing in the IFSC, built under NISM's partnership with IFSCA. It sets a common minimum knowledge benchmark on AML and CFT rules for capital market intermediaries and other regulated entities in the GIFT City IFSC. It was launched on 27 November 2025.

50 multiple choice questions of 1 mark each, for a total of 50 marks.

60 minutes (1 hour).

50%, which is 25 marks out of 50. There is no separate minimum per chapter.

No. A wrong answer scores zero, the same as a blank, so answer every question.

8, in the December 2025 workbook, split into Part A on Indian AML law (chapters 1 to 4) and Part B on the IFSCA rules, cases and FATF (chapters 5 to 8). Chapter 6, IFSCA Guidelines for KYC Norms, is the heaviest at 10 marks.

Yes. The workbook's syllabus outline gives the marks for every chapter, adding up to 50.

₹750 plus taxes, which comes to ₹885, plus payment gateway charges.

There is no fixed date. NISM runs the exam on demand: you book an available slot through NISM's portal.

It is online. NISM-IFSCA-01 is held in a remotely proctored setting, so there is no test centre to travel to. Read NISM's system and proctoring instructions before your slot.

Anyone. NISM publishes no minimum educational qualification. The certification is aimed at staff of IFSC intermediaries and regulated entities, but others can sit it too.

You can register for another attempt through NISM's portal. Check the portal for the current re-booking rules and fee before you pick a date.

2 years.

Check NISM's NISM-IFSCA-01 page for the current renewal route well before your certificate expires.

The workbook does not say IFSCA mandates it for any role. IFSCA's AML, CFT and KYC Guidelines, 2022 require regulated entities to train relevant employees periodically. Whether your employer uses this certificate for that is its compliance team's decision.

No. It is a separate NISM-IFSCA certification course, not one of the numbered NISM Series exams.

NISM's own workbook, version December 2025, which IFSCA reviewed. Its Additional Reads list points to IFSCA's FAQs on the guidelines as further reading.

It is short, the pass mark is 50% and there is no negative marking, but the content is specific legal and regulatory detail. NISM has not published a pass rate for it. Plan for focused study of the workbook rather than a quick read.

Chapters 6 and 5 on the IFSCA KYC norms and guidelines carry 18 of the 50 marks. Chapters 2 and 3 on the PMLA and its rules add 14. Do not skip the rest: on a 50-mark paper, even a 3-mark chapter is 6% of the total.

Yes. There is no negative marking, so a guess can only add marks. Rule out what you can first, then answer.