The CS Professional subjects cover governance, drafting, compliance, finance, corporate restructuring and other areas that Company Secretaries use in professional practice. Under ICSI’s 2022 syllabus, the programme has two groups, with three core papers and one elective in each group.
Elective options and study material can change by exam session. Check the latest ICSI notices and study materials for the session you plan to appear in.
How Is The CS Professional Syllabus Structured?
The Professional Programme has seven papers across two groups:
Group 1: Papers 1, 2, 3 and Elective 1
Group 2: Papers 5, 6 and Elective 2
Students choose one elective from each group. ICSI describes the electives as open-book examinations; check the examination instructions for the session for the permitted materials and rules. icsi.edu
CS Professional Subjects: Group 1
| Paper | Subject | Main Areas |
| Paper 1 | Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) – Principles & Practice | Governance and sustainability; risk management; environment and sustainability reporting |
| Paper 2 | Drafting, Pleadings and Appearances | Drafting and conveyancing; pleadings and appearances |
| Paper 3 | Compliance Management, Audit & Due Diligence | Compliance management; audit and due diligence |
| Paper 4 | Elective 1 | Choose one available subject for your session |
The syllabus assigns 65 marks to governance and sustainability, 20 to risk management, and 15 to environment and sustainability reporting in Paper 1. Paper 2 is divided between drafting and conveyancing (70 marks) and pleadings and appearances (30 marks). Paper 3 covers compliance management (40 marks) and audit and due diligence (60 marks). icsi.edu
Group 1 Elective Subjects
ICSI’s Professional Programme page lists these options for Elective 1:
CSR & Social Governance
Internal & Forensic Audit
Intellectual Property Rights – Law & Practice
Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics and Cyber Security – Laws & Practice
Advanced Direct Tax Laws & Practice
IFSCA – Regulations, Listing and Compliances
ICSI notes that Advanced Direct Tax Laws & Practice is for exams from June 2027 onwards. Since elective availability can depend on the session, confirm the applicable options and material on ICSI’s current programme page before choosing.
CS Professional Subjects: Group 2
| Paper | Subject | Main Areas |
| Paper 5 | Strategic Management & Corporate Finance | Strategic management; corporate finance |
| Paper 6 | Corporate Restructuring, Valuation and Insolvency | Corporate restructuring; valuation; insolvency, liquidation and winding up |
| Paper 7 | Elective 2 | Choose one available subject for your session |
Paper 5 covers strategic management (40 marks) and corporate finance (60 marks). Paper 6 covers corporate restructuring (40 marks), valuation (20 marks), and insolvency, liquidation and winding up (40 marks).
Group 2 Elective Subjects
The current ICSI Professional Programme page lists these Elective 2 options:
Arbitration, Mediation & Conciliation
Goods and Services Tax (GST) & Corporate Tax Planning
Labour Laws & Practice
Banking & Insurance – Laws & Practice
Insolvency and Bankruptcy – Law & Practice
ICSI lists the revised GST and Corporate Tax Planning paper for exams from June 2027 onwards. Check the official page for the applicable paper and study material for your session. ICSI
How Should You Choose A CS Professional Elective?
Start by checking which electives are available for your exam session. Then consider:
Your interests: Choose a subject you are willing to study in depth.
Your career direction: For example, students interested in intellectual property may consider the IPR elective, while those drawn to dispute resolution may look at Arbitration, Mediation & Conciliation.
Your preparation resources: Review the current ICSI study material and past question papers before deciding.
The exam format: Open-book exams still require strong understanding and answer-writing practice. Confirm ICSI’s current exam instructions.
Do not select an elective based only on its title or a perceived reputation for being easy. Read the syllabus and sample or past papers first.
How To Prepare For The CS Professional Subjects
Read the official syllabus and study material for your exam session before setting a timetable. For each paper, divide the syllabus into topics and plan time for revision and answer writing. Practise applying concepts to case-based questions, especially in papers involving compliance, drafting, audit or restructuring.
For an elective, include time to organise reference material and practise finding relevant information quickly, while following ICSI’s exam rules. Check ICSI supplements and updates before the examination, as applicable material may change by session.
Prepare For CS Professional With Shilpi’s Academy
Shilpi’s Academy provides CS coaching. Students can contact the academy to ask about CS Professional support, available subjects, class formats and the current batch schedule. Discuss your group status and exam session so the academy can explain the options relevant to your preparation.
FAQs
The 2022 syllabus has seven papers across two groups: three core papers and one elective in each group.
Students choose one elective for Group 1 and one for Group 2, subject to the options applicable to their exam session.
ICSI identifies the elective papers as open-book examinations. Check the current examination instructions for permitted materials and other rules.
Use ICSI’s Professional Programme page for current study materials and session-specific updates.
