NISM Series XIX-A Registration & Exam Dates
There is no annual Series XIX-A exam date. Registration is continuous and you pick your own slot. Here is how it works.
There is no exam date for NISM Series XIX-A. NISM runs the Alternative Investment Funds (Category I and II) Distributors Certification Examination on demand through the year. You create an account on NISM's certification portal, pick a test centre and a slot, pay the fee and sit the paper that day. The fee is ₹1,770, inclusive of GST, with payment gateway charges extra. That is NISM's own wording.
XIX-A is a voluntary examination. NISM says so on the exam page and lists it in its non-mandatory table. NISM names no role that must hold it. The certificate is valid for 3 years.
Registration facts at a glance
Figures as NISM's exam page states them on 2026-10-17.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam date | None. Booked on demand, any working slot the portal shows |
| Where to register | NISM's certification portal, one account for every NISM exam |
| Fee | ₹1,770, inclusive of GST; payment gateway charges extra |
| Mode | Computer-based at a test centre. XIX-A is not a remote-proctored exam |
| Status | Voluntary; NISM lists it as non-mandatory |
| Certificate validity | 3 years from the date of the examination |
| PAN | Must be furnished or updated in your registration details, or no passing certificate is issued |
| Eligibility | NISM publishes no degree, age or experience condition |
How to register on NISM's portal
- 1
Create your candidate account
Go to NISM's certification portal from the Register link on the XIX-A exam page. Enter your name exactly as on your PAN and photo ID; the certificate copies it.
- 2
Add your PAN
NISM issues a passing certificate only to candidates who have furnished or updated their Income Tax PAN in their registration details. Do it at registration, not after the exam.
- 3
Pick the right module
NISM runs five AIF exams. XIX-A is the Category I and II distributors exam. XIX-B is for Category III distributors. XIX-C, XIX-D and XIX-E are for fund managers. NISM does not allow a change of module after enrolment, so read the full name before you confirm.
- 4
Choose a test centre, date and time
The portal shows the centres near you and the open slots at each. If your first choice is full, check a nearby centre or a later week.
- 5
Pay the fee
₹1,770, inclusive of GST, plus the payment gateway charge your bank or card adds. If the amount is debited but the enrolment does not show, do not pay again: NISM refunds failed and duplicate debits, but not the transaction charges.
- 6
Save the admit details
Note the centre address and reporting time, and carry the original photo ID you registered with.
Who the exam is for
NISM built XIX-A for persons working as distributors or placement agents in the AIF domain in India, and the paper focuses on Category I and Category II AIFs. In practice that means relationship managers at wealth firms and private banks, family-office advisers, and the placement teams inside AIF managers.
Because it is voluntary, nobody is barred from taking it. A mutual fund distributor adding AIFs, a compliance officer or a student can register. If you sell Category III funds, the ones that use complex trading strategies, the matching exam is XIX-B. If you are on the investment team of an AIF manager, SEBI's certification requirement points to the manager exams, not to XIX-A.
Free account, this exam preselected.
Validity and renewal
The certificate is valid for 3 years. NISM's general rule is that a certificate is revalidated either by passing the same exam again before the existing certificate expires, or by completing a Continuing Professional Education (CPE) or online CPE (eCPE) programme, as specified by NISM, in the 12 months before expiry. A revalidated certificate runs for three years from the old expiry date, not from the day you renew.
As of October 2026, NISM's CPE table lists no CPE or eCPE programme for XIX-A. Until one is specified, the renewal route for this series is to re-sit the exam before the certificate lapses. Check NISM's CPE page a year before expiry, because NISM has added eCPE programmes for other AIF series.
Rescheduling, refunds and re-attempts
From NISM's refund and re-scheduling policy.
- check_circleYou can reschedule a booked exam yourself on the portal up to four days before the exam date. NISM allows at most two reschedules per enrolment.
- check_circleFees are not refunded once paid, except when your account was debited but the enrolment failed, when the fee was deducted twice, or when NISM cannot hold the exam and no alternative slot suits you. Transaction charges are never refunded.
- check_circleIf you do not turn up on the booked date and time, the fee is forfeited.
- check_circleEnrolled for the wrong module? NISM does not switch it. You book the correct exam afresh and pay again.
- check_circleIf you do not pass, you book a new slot and pay the full fee again. NISM's exam page and FAQ do not set out a rule on the number of attempts or the gap between them.
How the booking choice shows up on the paper
XIX-A questions are framed around Category I and II funds: fund structuring, due diligence, legal documentation, valuation and India-specific tax for those categories. A candidate who sells Category III funds and books XIX-A by mistake meets a paper built for a different product and cannot switch modules. The exam-pattern page covers the 80 MCQ plus 5 case structure, the pass mark and the 10% negative marking.
FAQs
Is NISM XIX-A mandatory for AIF distributors?expand_more
No. NISM states that Series XIX-A is a voluntary examination and lists it among its non-mandatory certifications. Employers may still ask for it.
What is the NISM XIX-A exam fee?expand_more
₹1,770, inclusive of GST, with payment gateway charges extra. The GST line is stated on NISM's exam page for this series.
What is the NISM exam for AIF fund managers?expand_more
Not XIX-A. Fund managers have their own series: XIX-C (Alternative Investment Fund Managers), XIX-D (Category I and II managers) and XIX-E (Category III managers). XIX-A and XIX-B are the distributor exams.
Can I take the NISM XIX-A exam from home?expand_more
No. XIX-A is a test-centre exam. NISM marks only a few series as remote proctored on its certifications page, and XIX-A is not one of them. You pick a centre and a slot on the portal.
How many attempts are allowed, and what if I fail?expand_more
NISM's exam page and FAQ do not set out an attempt or waiting rule. If you fail, you book a fresh slot and pay the full fee again. The certificate you earn on passing is valid for three years.
Next steps
Create a free accountStart now, before you pay NISM ₹1,770.