ICSI New Syllabus 2027 | CS New Syllabus 2027 All Levels
If you’re planning to start CS, or you’re already in the Executive or Professional stage, you’ve probably heard the buzz. ICSI has released the Exposure Draft of the ICSI New Syllabus 2027. It proposes the biggest reshuffle of the Company Secretary course since 2022, and it touches every level, from Foundation to Professional.
The most important point first: the CS New Syllabus 2027 is still a draft. ICSI has shared it for stakeholder feedback, so papers, marks or the assessment pattern could still change before it becomes final. No implementation date has been announced yet.
In this guide, you’ll find the proposed papers for each level, an old vs new comparison, the new exam pattern, and what we know so far about switchover.
Key Takeaways
- The Foundation Programme is proposed to return with four papers, including Business Communication with a focus on AI.
- CS Executive keeps seven papers but reshuffles them. Financial Management moves to Professional, IPR joins Paper 3, and Labour Laws join Paper 6.
- CS Professional may be renamed the Governance and Strategic Leadership Programme. It adds a new Digital Governance, Data Privacy and AI paper and brings back Advanced Company Law.
- Marks are proposed to be split into 70% written exam and 30% experiential learning, with a grading system.
- Foundation and Executive exams are proposed to be fully descriptive.
- No official switchover scheme has been announced. Syllabus 2022 continues until ICSI says otherwise.
What is the ICSI Exposure Draft of Syllabus 2027?
An exposure draft is ICSI’s way of saying, “Here’s what we’re planning. Tell us what you think before we finalise it.” The ICSI Council has given in-principle approval to the draft, and it is now open for public consultation with members, students, faculty and industry.
The draft was prepared by ICSI’s Academic Board, chaired by CS Ranjeet Pandey, Former President of ICSI. Before writing it, the Board:
- collected around 900 responses from stakeholders through an online survey;
- studied the courses of National Law Universities, IIMs, IIT Delhi and governance institutes in the UK, Australia, Singapore and other countries;
- held discussions with senior Company Secretaries, General Counsels and ICSI classroom faculty.
For context, the syllabus you are studying right now is Syllabus 2022. It came into effect in February 2023 for Executive, June 2023 for CSEET and August 2023 for Professional. The ICSI new syllabus 2027 is meant to replace it once finalised.
Why is ICSI Changing the CS Syllabus?
Many of the laws a Company Secretary works with have changed since 2022. The draft lists these major developments:
- The Income-tax Act, 2025, which replaced the 1961 Act from 1 April 2026
- Operationalisation of the four Labour Codes, with Central Rules notified in 2025
- The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and the Mediation Act, 2023
- The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, which replaced the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act
- The proposed Securities Market Code and the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026
- New ESG reporting requirements such as BRSR Core, along with new IFSCA regulations
Beyond these law changes, the CS new syllabus 2027 has three practical aims. The first is to remove outdated and overlapping topics. The second is to bring in hands-on learning and AI tools. The third is to shorten the course so students can start working as professionals sooner.
Is the CS New Syllabus 2027 Final? When Will It Apply?
No, it is not final yet. The ICSI new syllabus 2027 is a proposal. ICSI has not announced when it will start or which exam attempt will be the first under the new structure.
There is also a practical reason it may take some time. The draft itself says the changes may require amendments to the Company Secretaries Regulations, 1982. That legal process usually has to be completed before a new syllabus can take effect.
Until ICSI officially notifies the new syllabus, here is where things stand:
- Syllabus 2022 continues for CS Executive and CS Professional students.
- CSEET is still the entry route into the CS course. The draft proposes a Foundation Programme, but CSEET has not been removed. Registration for the February 2027 CSEET session is open until 31 October 2026.
- Past practice suggests a smooth transition. Whenever ICSI has revised the syllabus before, existing students got a few attempts under the old syllabus before moving to the new one.
So if you are preparing for an upcoming attempt, keep going with your current syllabus. We’ll update this page as soon as ICSI announces official dates.
CS Foundation Syllabus 2027
The biggest structural change in the ICSI new syllabus 2027 is right at the start. The draft proposes a Foundation Programme with four papers of 100 marks each, and it is meant for students who are just starting the CS course.
| Paper | Name of the Paper | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business Communication in AI Era (or) Business Communication – Practice and Emerging Technologies |
100 |
| 2 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 100 |
| 3 | Economics and Business Environment Part A – Economics (50) Part B – Business Environment (50) |
100 |
| 4 | Business Laws and Management Part A – Business Laws (80) Part B – Management (20) |
100 |
| Total | 400 | |
Note: ICSI has proposed two possible names for Paper 1. The final name will be confirmed later.
What's New in CS Foundation 2027?
Business Communication with AI. Students will learn to use AI tools for letters, reports, summaries and presentations. The paper also covers the ethics and risks of using AI responsibly.
Accounting in the Digital Era. A new topic has been added on using accounting software to record, process and report financial data.
Wider Economics coverage. New topics include the Union Budget, money markets and financial institutions, the digital economy, Digital Public Infrastructure (think UPI and Aadhaar), and emerging business trends.
More weight on law. In Paper 4, the split between law and management changes from 60:40 to 80:20. This fits the CS profession better, since the course is law-heavy from start to finish. The chapters have also been reordered so the subject flows more logically.
Descriptive exams and experiential learning. All Foundation papers are proposed to be descriptive. Experiential learning is also being introduced at this level.
CS Executive Syllabus 2027
Under the ICSI new syllabus 2027, CS Executive still has seven papers split into two groups, each worth 100 marks. The papers themselves have been reshuffled, though. A few subjects move between papers, one moves up to Professional, and several new topics are added.
| Paper | Name of the Paper | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Group I | ||
| 1 | Jurisprudence, Interpretation and General Laws | 100 |
| 2 | Company Law and Practice Part I – Company Law: Principles and Concepts (60) Part II – Company Administration and Meetings (40) |
100 |
| 3 | Setting up of Business and Intellectual Property Laws Part I – Setting up of Business (70) Part II – Intellectual Property Laws (30) |
100 |
| 4 | Corporate Accounting | 100 |
| Group II | ||
| 5 | Capital Market and Securities Laws Part I – Capital Market (40) Part II – Securities Laws (60) |
100 |
| 6 | Economic, Commercial and Labour Laws Part I – Economic and Commercial Laws (70) Part II – Labour Laws (30) |
100 |
| 7 | Tax Laws and Practice Part I – Direct Tax (60) Part II – Indirect Tax: GST and Customs (40) |
100 |
Major Changes in CS Executive 2027
JIGL gets more current. Paper 1 adds the Digital Personal Data Protection Act. It also covers the law of crime and evidence along with digital forensics, which fits the move to the new criminal laws.
IPR moves to Paper 3. Intellectual Property Laws now sit with Setting up of Business. This makes sense, because protecting a brand, patent or design is part of starting a business. This paper also covers start-ups, MSMEs, business licences, and setting up a business in India and abroad.
Financial Management moves to Professional. Paper 4 is now only Corporate Accounting. Financial Management has been merged with Corporate Finance at the Professional level. In its place, Paper 4 covers Cost and Management Accounting in more depth, along with budgets, cash flow statements and financial forecasting.
Labour Laws move to Paper 6. The four Labour Codes and the POSH Act now sit with Economic and Commercial Laws. These cover FEMA, FDI, Competition Law, PMLA and RERA.
New topics in Capital Market and Securities Laws. Paper 5 adds finfluencers, algo trading and short selling. IFSCA now has its own place in Part II, with more detail on IFSCA capital market intermediaries.
Fully descriptive exams. The current pattern includes some objective questions. The draft proposes descriptive exams for all Executive papers, with experiential learning built into most of them.
CS Professional Syllabus 2027 (Governance and Strategic Leadership Programme)
The Professional level sees the most change. The draft suggests renaming it the Governance and Strategic Leadership Programme, which reflects how the CS role is moving beyond compliance towards board-level advisory work. It still has seven papers across two groups: five core papers and two electives.
| Paper | Name of the Paper | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Group I | ||
| 1 | Governance, Sustainability and Risk Management Part I – Governance and Sustainability (80) Part II – Risk Management (20) |
100 |
| 2 | Digital Governance, Data Privacy and AI NEW Part I – Digital Governance (50) Part II – Data Privacy and AI (50) |
100 |
| 3 | Advanced Company Law RETURNS | 100 |
| 4 | Elective I (choose one from the list below) | 100 |
| Group II | ||
| 5 | Corporate Finance and Financial Management Part I – Corporate Finance (60) Part II – Financial Management (40) |
100 |
| 6 | Corporate Restructuring, Valuation and Insolvency Part I – Corporate Restructuring and Valuation (70) Part II – Managing Insolvency and Closure of Business (30) |
100 |
| 7 | Elective II (choose one from the list below) | 100 |
What's New in the Core Papers?
Paper 1 is revamped. The current ESG paper becomes Governance, Sustainability and Risk Management. It gives more weight to governance and covers BRSR reporting, sustainable financing, impact assessment and ethical leadership.
Paper 2 is brand new. This is the headline change in the ICSI new syllabus 2027. It covers the digital boardroom, digital compliance and audit, MCA’s regulatory platforms, blockchain records, digital KYC, CERT-In cyber rules, global data protection laws, and how boards should govern AI.
Advanced Company Law is back. It covers the areas where a CS is most often asked for advice: independent directors, related party transactions, oppression and mismanagement, penalties and adjudication, investigations, secretarial audit, and representation before authorities.
Financial Management joins Corporate Finance. Paper 5 also absorbs the key IFSCA regulations, so the separate IFSCA elective is removed.
Insolvency is trimmed in Paper 6. Since full insolvency law is now an elective, Paper 6 keeps only the corporate insolvency process, liquidation, winding up and strike-off.
CS Professional Elective Papers 2027
You choose one paper from each list. The electives are proposed as open-book exams, while the core papers stay descriptive.
| Elective I (Paper 4) | Elective II (Paper 7) |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Insolvency and Bankruptcy – Law and Practice | 7.1 Alternate Dispute Resolution Arbitration & Conciliation (70) + Mediation (30) |
| 4.2 Banking and Insurance – Law and Practice Banking (50) + Insurance (50) |
7.2 Goods and Services Tax – Law and Practice |
| 4.3 Intellectual Property Rights – Law and Practice | 7.3 Labour Laws and Practice |
| 4.4 Advanced Direct Tax – Law and Practice NEW | 7.4 Entrepreneurship Development: MSMEs, Start-Ups and Co-operative Societies NEW |
A few changes stand out in the electives:
Corporate Tax Planning moves from the GST paper to the new Advanced Direct Tax elective, so the GST elective now focuses only on GST.
Arbitration, Mediation and Conciliation is renamed Alternate Dispute Resolution.
A new Entrepreneurship elective covers MSME registration, SME listing, start-up rules and co-operative societies. It is a good fit if you plan to advise small businesses.
Old vs New: CS Syllabus 2022 vs ICSI New Syllabus 2027
If you’re already studying under Syllabus 2022, this is the section you need most. The tables below compare the two syllabi paper by paper, so you can see what stays the same, what moves and what’s new.
| Paper | Syllabus 2022 (Current) | Syllabus 2027 (Proposed) | Key Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jurisprudence, Interpretation & General Laws | Jurisprudence, Interpretation and General Laws | DPDP Act and digital forensics added |
| 2 | Company Law & Practice | Company Law and Practice | Largely the same; experiential learning added |
| 3 | Setting up of Business, Industrial & Labour Laws | Setting up of Business and Intellectual Property Laws | Labour Laws out, IP Laws in |
| 4 | Corporate Accounting and Financial Management | Corporate Accounting | FM moves to Professional; Cost Accounting expanded |
| 5 | Capital Market & Securities Laws | Capital Market and Securities Laws | Finfluencers, algo trading, IFSCA added |
| 6 | Economic, Commercial and Intellectual Property Laws | Economic, Commercial and Labour Laws | IP Laws out, Labour Codes and POSH in |
| 7 | Tax Laws & Practice | Tax Laws and Practice | Same structure; Customs listed in Part II |
What this means for you: Papers 1, 2, 5 and 7 remain very similar. That makes them the safest subjects to prepare now, whichever syllabus you end up writing. Papers 3, 4 and 6 are the ones being reshuffled.
| Paper | Syllabus 2022 (Current) | Syllabus 2027 (Proposed) | Key Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) – Principles & Practice | Governance, Sustainability and Risk Management | Renamed and revamped |
| 2 | Drafting, Pleadings and Appearances | Digital Governance, Data Privacy and AI | Entirely new paper |
| 3 | Compliance Management, Audit & Due Diligence | Advanced Company Law | Reintroduced; includes secretarial audit |
| 5 | Strategic Management & Corporate Finance | Corporate Finance and Financial Management | Strategic Management out, FM and IFSCA in |
| 6 | Corporate Restructuring, Valuation and Insolvency | Corporate Restructuring, Valuation and Insolvency | Same name; insolvency portion trimmed |
Papers 4 and 7 are electives in both syllabi.
Quick Summary: What's Added, Removed and Renamed
| Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Added | Foundation Programme; Digital Governance, Data Privacy and AI; Advanced Company Law; Advanced Direct Tax (elective); Entrepreneurship Development: MSMEs, Start-Ups and Co-operative Societies (elective) |
| Removed | Drafting, Pleadings and Appearances; Compliance Management, Audit & Due Diligence; Strategic Management; CSR & Social Governance (elective); Internal and Forensic Audit (elective); AI, Data Analytics and Cyber Security (elective, as AI is now covered in a core paper) |
| Renamed | Professional Programme → Governance and Strategic Leadership Programme (proposed); ESG paper → Governance, Sustainability and Risk Management; Arbitration, Mediation & Conciliation → Alternate Dispute Resolution; GST & Corporate Tax Planning → GST – Law and Practice |
| Shifted | Financial Management: Executive → Professional; IP Laws: Paper 6 → Paper 3; Labour Laws: Paper 3 → Paper 6; Corporate Tax Planning: GST elective → Advanced Direct Tax; Insolvency and Bankruptcy: Elective II → Elective I |
Overall, the CS new syllabus 2027 does not add more papers. It moves the focus away from drafting and strategy and towards digital governance, AI and advanced company law advisory.
CS Exam Pattern & Assessment 2027
Beyond new papers, the CS new syllabus 2027 also changes how you’ll be marked. The biggest shift is that your final result will no longer depend only on the written exam.
| Feature | Syllabus 2022 (Current) | Syllabus 2027 (Proposed) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | CSEET | Foundation Programme (4 descriptive papers) |
| Executive exam mode | Mix of objective and descriptive questions | Fully descriptive |
| Professional exam mode | Descriptive; electives open book | Descriptive; electives open book |
| Marks per paper | 100 | 100 |
| Evaluation | 100% written exam | 70% written exam + 30% internal assessment |
| Result format | Marks: 40% per paper and 50% aggregate per group | Grading system (criteria yet to be announced) |
What is the 70:30 Assessment Model?
Under the proposed model, 70% of your marks will come from the written exam and 30% from internal, continuous assessment during your studies. According to the draft, that 30% could come from:
- Online or AI-assisted tests on ICSI’s learning platform
- Experiential learning, such as court visits or web-based assignments
- Projects and presentations
For students, this is good news and a new responsibility at the same time. A bad exam day will matter a little less, because part of your marks is already earned. But you can’t leave everything until the last two months any more. Regular study and practical work will count towards your result from the very beginning.
CS Syllabus Switchover 2027: What We Know So Far
As of now, ICSI has not announced an official switchover scheme for moving from Syllabus 2022 to the ICSI new syllabus 2027. There is no exemption list, no application date and no last attempt date for the old syllabus yet.
📌 Update note: ICSI is expected to release the official switchover scheme and paper-wise exemptions once the new syllabus is finalised. We will update this section as soon as it is announced, so bookmark this page.
What Happened in the Last Switchover (2017 → 2022)
The previous transition gives a fair idea of what to expect:
- It was free and final. Students were not required to pay any charges for switchover to the new syllabus 2022, but they could not reverse the switchover.
careers360 - A new pre-exam test was needed. Students switching over to the new Executive syllabus also had to complete a pre-examination test to become eligible for enrolling in the main exams.
careers360 - Old-syllabus students got a clear deadline. June 2024 was announced as the last attempt for CS Executive old course students and December 2024 for CS Professional.
My CS MTP - Not every paper was exempted. Papers you had passed earned exemptions in the matching new papers. Some papers, like Advanced Tax Laws and Multidisciplinary Case Studies, had no exemption at all.
Expected Switchover Process
If ICSI follows the same route as last time, the steps would look like this. Go to icsi.edu, open Online Services, log in to your student account, go to Module > Switchover > Apply for Switchover, fill in the details, then review and confirm.
Should You Prepare Under the Old or New Syllabus?
- CSEET aspirants: Continue with CSEET. It is the only entry route right now.
- CS Executive students: Aim to clear your groups under Syllabus 2022. Start with papers that barely change, such as JIGL, Company Law, Securities Laws and Tax.
- CS Professional students: Try to clear full groups. Papers like Drafting and Compliance Management don’t have a direct match in the draft, so they may not carry an exemption.
Preparation Tips for the ICSI New Syllabus 2027
A syllabus change can feel unsettling, especially in the middle of your course. The good news is that most of what you’re studying today will still matter tomorrow. These tips will help you keep going without wasting effort.
1. Don’t pause your current attempt.
Syllabus 2022 is still in force. Waiting for the final ICSI notification only costs you time. Keep studying your current papers with structured CS Executive video lectures or CS Professional video lectures, and clear as many groups as you can.
2. Build strong basics in subjects that overlap.
Company Law, Securities Laws, Tax and JIGL carry forward almost unchanged. Solid concepts here will help you under either syllabus, and at the Professional level too, where Advanced Company Law returns.
3. Get comfortable with the new laws now.
The new syllabus is built around recent laws, such as the Income-tax Act, 2025 and the four Labour Codes. A short course like Income Tax Act 2025 vs 1961 can help you understand what changed without starting from scratch.
4. Learn the basics of AI and data privacy.
With a full paper on Digital Governance, Data Privacy and AI, it helps to understand the DPDP Act, MCA’s digital filing platforms and responsible use of AI tools early. Even small steps count here.
5. Practise writing answers regularly.
Executive exams are proposed to become fully descriptive, so clear, well-structured answers will matter more than ever. Timed practice with a CS test series helps you build speed and spot weak areas before the real exam.
6. Get practical exposure.
Since 30% of your marks may come from experiential learning, start working with real documents. Read annual reports, go through board resolutions, or take a hands-on course like ROC Return Filing or Payroll & Labour Compliances.
Prepare Smarter with Study At Home
Whether you’re starting with CSEET or working towards Executive or Professional, the right guidance saves a lot of time and stress. Study At Home offers online CS video lectures you can follow at your own pace, from anywhere. There’s a CS test series to practise with, and a free eBook to get you started.
Plan your next attempt with confidence, and keep an eye on this page for updates as the CS new syllabus 2027 moves towards being finalised.
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Conclusion
The CS new syllabus 2027 is a clear signal of where the profession is heading. The focus is moving towards digital governance, AI, sustainability and advanced advisory work. Since the syllabus is still a draft, there’s no need to panic or change your plans overnight.
Keep studying under Syllabus 2022, build strong basics in the subjects that carry forward, and keep an eye on ICSI announcements. We’ll update this guide as soon as the final syllabus and switchover details are released.
FAQs on ICSI New Syllabus 2027
1. Is the ICSI new syllabus 2027 final?
No. It is an exposure draft that the ICSI Council has approved in principle for stakeholder consultation. The papers, marks and assessment pattern may still change before ICSI notifies the final syllabus.
2. When will the CS new syllabus 2027 be applicable?
ICSI has not announced a start date or the first exam attempt yet. The draft notes that the Company Secretaries Regulations, 1982 may need to be amended first. Until then, Syllabus 2022 continues.
3. Is CSEET being replaced by the CS Foundation Programme?
The draft proposes a four-paper Foundation Programme, but CSEET has not been removed. It is still the entry route into the CS course. ICSI will explain how the change works once the syllabus is finalised.
4. How many attempts will old syllabus students get?
This hasn’t been announced yet. In the last transition, June 2024 was the final attempt for CS Executive old syllabus students and December 2024 for CS Professional. ICSI may follow a similar approach, but wait for the official notice.
5. Will I get exemptions after switchover?
Based on past practice, papers you’ve already passed will likely be exempted where a matching paper exists in the new syllabus. There is no official exemption list yet, though, and papers without a clear equivalent may not carry an exemption.
6. What new papers are added in CS Professional 2027?
The new core paper is Digital Governance, Data Privacy and AI, and Advanced Company Law is reintroduced. Two new electives are also added: Advanced Direct Tax – Law and Practice and Entrepreneurship Development: MSMEs, Start-Ups and Co-operative Societies.
7. Is there negative marking in CS exams?
No. There is no negative marking in the CS Executive exam, but you need at least 40% in each paper and 50% in aggregate to pass. Under the 2027 draft, Foundation and Executive papers are proposed to be fully descriptive.
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