Overview
About CSEET
CSEET, the Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test, is the entrance examination the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) uses to admit students into its Company Secretary course. It is the first stage of that qualification. Candidates who clear it become eligible to register for the CS Executive Programme.
ICSI is the statutory professional body that governs the Company Secretary profession in India, so the test is national in scope. It is open to Indian nationals who have passed, or are appearing in, the Senior Secondary (10+2) examination or an equivalent, and no minimum percentage is prescribed to sit for it. It works as a school-leaving-level gateway into the CS pathway rather than a ranked, competitive test.
CSEET is conducted four times a year, in January, May, July and November. It is a computer-based test taken in remote proctored mode, and covers four papers: Business Communication; Legal Aptitude and Logical Reasoning; Economic and Business Environment; and Current Affairs.
Sources: Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) – CSEET · Careers360 – CSEET exam overview · Testbook – ICSI CSEET syllabus and exam pattern
At a glance
CSEET highlights
Every figure traces to an official source.
| Full name | Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test (CSEET) |
| Conducting body | Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) |
| Level | UG |
| Mode of exam | Offline at designated exam centres – three subjective papers plus one OMR-based paper (restructured pattern effective June 2026; earlier pattern was a single computer-based remote-proctored test) |
| Frequency | 3 (February, June and October) per year |
| Scope | National |
| Sections | 4 papers (restructured) – Business Communication; Fundamentals of Accounting; Economic and Business Environment; Business Laws and Management (Business Laws 60 + Business Management 40). First three subjective; the fourth OMR-based. |
| Marking scheme | Each of the 4 papers 100 marks (400 aggregate). Subjective papers 3 hours each; OMR-based paper 2 hours. 15 minutes reading time. No negative marking in the OMR paper. Pass requires minimum 40% per paper and 50% aggregate, in one sitting. |
Deep dives
Everything you need to know
Eligibility
- ·Open to Indian nationals who have passed or are appearing in the Senior Secondary (10+2) examination or equivalent. Certain candidates (CS Foundation pass, graduates/post-graduates, CA Intermediate pass, CMA Final pass) are exempt and may register directly to the CS Executive Programme.
Exam pattern
- ·Sections: 4 papers (restructured) – Business Communication; Fundamentals of Accounting; Economic and Business Environment; Business Laws and Management (Business Laws 60 + Business Management 40). First three subjective; the fourth OMR-based.
- ·400 total marks
- ·Marking: Each of the 4 papers 100 marks (400 aggregate). Subjective papers 3 hours each; OMR-based paper 2 hours. 15 minutes reading time. No negative marking in the OMR paper. Pass requires minimum 40% per paper and 50% aggregate, in one sitting.
Syllabus
- ·Business Communication; Fundamentals of Accounting; Economic and Business Environment; Business Laws and Management.
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