Sumant Poddar, author of critically acclaimed book "One Amongst Us" is back with his second outing "Juice Centre - 32 Teeth"

Sumant Poddar, author of critically acclaimed book "One Amongst Us" is back with his second outing "Juice Centre - 32 Teeth". The book was unveiled in association the most awaited movie of the year, Kahaani-2 by Vidya Balan and Sujoy Ghosh at Amity University on 23rd November, 2016.

According to Sumant Poddar, "Life is like a kahani. It everyday introduces us with new stories, some are pragmatic, some are utopian and some are pragmatically utopian. With both the book and movie's kahani revolving around the various dimensions of the society, this was a perfect platform to launch the book which definitely has a kahani to say. "

About "Juice Centre – 32 Teeth"

“Juice Centre – 32 Teeth”, is the name of the novel seems quite weird?  True, it is actually weird, but then this is the USP of the book. This book creates a bunch of fictitious characters with real straits of life. This novel will allow all of us to find each other in the book in some way or the other.

We can say, a mirror image, perhaps.

This book depicts the honest feeling about the day-to-day affairs of a society, where people push to live ahead of each other. Elements of trust, mistrust, passion, loyalty, honesty, love, failure and many more steps of humane life can be experienced. The characters light open the Juice Centre as the central place, where values of each life unfolds

One will for sure, find answers to a lot of there questions in this book, “Juice Centre – 32 Teeth”

About Sumant Poddar

Sumant Poddar is a businessman and a budding writer, with the new ideas and perfect observation about the society. “One amongst us” and “Juice Centre-32 teeth” both are the beginnings of his writing entity. Since the grown up days in Kolkata, he wanted to be an observer of the society and now he is painting the observed pictures through his words.

ICSI CONVOCATION – EASTERN REGION 2016

ICSI Convocation – EASTERN region 2016

A new member receiving membership degree from Chief Guest Shri Gyanesh Chaudhary,L to R CS Sandip Kr Kejriwal,Chairman,ICSI EIRC, CS Mamta Binani, President,ICSI, CS Santosh Kumar Agrawala, Council Member, ICSI

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) organised   ICSI Convocation 2016 –Eastern

Region on Saturday, 26^th November, 2016 at VidyaMandir, Kolkata.

Shri Gyanesh Chaudhary, MD & CEO, Vikram Solar Pvt. Ltdwasthe Chief Guest and in his Convocation Address said that the ICSI is an institution of phenomenal education and is ahead of its time. He said it is always said that a person learns when he studies but actuallearning happens outside the textbooks and a Professional need to be very much updated about all events that concerns him. In his address, he said a Company Secretary’s role and responsibility is increasing and at the same time he/she also needs to be bold and proactive.He also said that he is very happy to learn that at the ICSI there are more women candidates who are clearing the CS Professional examsand are becoming successful professionals.

CS Mamta Binani, President, ICSI in her Presidentialaddress congratulated  the new Members and expressed that this course not only teaches the youth the laws of the world but also laws of life. She said each one of us are our own future writers and we should be determined to reach the goal when we begin our professional careers and the most important thing is to have faith in oneself. She also said in the journey of life there would be lot of negativity but we have to decide what we should hear and what not and not to get distracted from the path and enjoy the journey called life.

CS Santosh Kumar Agrawala, Council Member, ICSI and Convocation Programme Director in his address said that ICSI has come over a long way since these past years. The profession has made own space and has created huge recognition. congratulated the New Members and said that the new members will be part of a great transition from Company Secretaries to Corporate Governance professionals, He said Companies Act 2013 have given new scope to CS..

CS Sandip Kumar Kejriwal, Chairman EIRC of ICSI and Convocation Programme Coordinator,  congratulated the new members and wished them luck in their professional career and said that they should uphold the values and ideals which is expected from them as members of this prestigious profession. He said to the new members that to face challenges and develop capabilities and upheld the importance of a CS in an organisation and adhere to the code of conduct.

CS Ashok Kumar Dixit, Joint Secretary, Directorate of Membership and CSBF, ICSI proposed the vote of thanks to the Chief Gust, President, ICSI, Council Member, ICSI , ICSI -EIRC members,EIRO Officials and the new members and their families for making the Convocation a grand success. 227 new members got their membership certificates during this convocation

DSP Black Rock Mutual Fund launches www.dspblackrock.com /learn, their new gamified investor education website

 Targets reaching over one crore Indians in 2017

DSP Black Rock Investment Managers Pvt. Ltd., one of the premier asset management companies in India, today announced the launch of ‘dspblackrock.com/learn’, a comprehensivedigital platform that aims to demystify financial concepts, introduce retail investors to investment planning and further empower them to manage their own wealth. 

DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund has been one of the pioneers in investor education. So far, more than 60 lakh online users have consumed DSP Black Rock Mutual Fund’s contemporary and meaningful investor education content including over 100+ videos, informative articles and other digital initiatives. The new investor education portal will enhance and supplement DSP Black Rock Mutual Fund’s existing and successful investor education programs.

‘dspblackrock.com / learn’ is specifically designed to serve the personal finance related informational and learning needs of investors across various levels of financial awareness and maturity.This platform will use an innovative ‘gamified’ approach to enable investors to learn various aspects of personal finance in a way that is relevant and engaging, in a self-timed and self-guided manner. As users consume content, they will encounter quizzes, unlock badges, earn points and track their progress against other users. Additionally, users also have the option to access and process content sequentially or as per their own interest. This responsive and device agnostic platform works across desktop, tablet and mobile devices seamlessly. Through this platform, DSP Black RockMutual Fund aims to educate an incremental one crore investorsin over 200 cities across India by 2017. 

Speaking on the occasion Aditi Kothari Desai, Head -Sales, E-Business and Marketing at DSP Black Rock Mutual Fund said, “A large and ever increasing number of Indians are now earning their own income. At this time, the right investing knowledge, presented in an interesting and meaningful manner, can help them learn how to grow their wealth and make the most of their hard earned money. But how do we get to the largest number of people possible in the most effective manner? This is where digital comes in. We decided to build this robust e-learning website to allow users to consume our new content as they want, when they want it. This platform is a continuation of our efforts to educate both potential and savvy investors on the art and science of investing, in an easy-to-understand and structured manner. Using our new portal and the new content, we aim to target one crore potential and existing investors.” she added further.

Hemendra Kothari, Chairman, DSP Black Rock Mutual Fund said, “We strongly believe that an informed and financially literate Indian investor will have a multiplier effect in our economy. DSP BlackRock’s continuing and well recognized endeavours in the digital space over the last couple of years are a reflection of our belief in the power of digital. Our new investor education portal is an extension of this belief. We are excited and enthusiastic and hope that the website is consumed and liked by all.”

Sudip Mandal, Head – Advisor Marketing at DSP Black Rock Mutual Fund added, “Financial Advisors can leverage ‘dsp black rock.com/learn’ to educate their clients by sharing content and encouraging their clients to register. It’s exciting to think of this platform as a unique opportunity for willing learners and expert advisors to interact and create a dynamic community of better investment decision makers.”

About DSP BlackRock

DSP Black Rock Investment Managers, a Joint Venture between the DSP Group and Black Rock is one of the premier Asset Management Companies in India. The DSP group has a track record of over 150 years and through its investment companies owns a 60% stake in the joint venture.  Black Rock Inc. which owns a 40% stake in the JV, is one of the largest quoted asset management companies in the world and manages assets of USD 5.1 trillion as of September 30, 2016.

India Dairy Feeds inaugurates first Balanced Cattle Feed manufacturing unit for AMUL in Bengal

India Dairy Feeds inaugurates first Balanced Cattle Feed manufacturing unit for AMUL in Bengal

THE STATE-OF-THE-ART MODERN BALANCED CATTLE FEED MANUFACTURING UNIT OF M/S INDIA DAIRY FEEDS PVT LTD IS THE FIRST SUCH PLANT THAT WOULD CATER TO THE LOCAL BALANCED CATTLE FEED NEEDS OF THE DAIRY GIANT AMUL IN BENGAL. THE 200 MTPD PRODUCTION CAPACITY WOULD BE ONE MORE STEP TOWARDS BACKWARD INTEGRATION FOR AMUL DAIRY WHICH IS SET TO EXPAND ITS OPERATIONS IN WEST BENGAL

India Dairy Feeds Private Ltd (IDFPL), a Kolkata-based contract manufacturing firm, today inaugurated a state-of-the-art Balanced Cattle Feed manufacturing plant at Joyrambati in Bankura district, West Bengal. Dr K Rathnam, Managing Director, Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producer's Union Ltd (KDCMPUL), popularly known as Amul Dairy, formally inaugurated the plant today.

This is the first such Cattle Feed manufacturing plant under the franchisee of Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producer's Union Ltd (KDCMPUL), popularly known as Amul Dairy, in the country with a 200 metric tonnes per day (MTPD) capacity that would cater to the local need of Amul which, in turn, is set to scale up its operations in West Bengal.

“The balanced cattle feed manufacturing plant would be a major step in backward integration for Amul Dairy and would go a long way in increasing the milk production in the state. We look forward to expand our footprint in the eastern region and create necessary infrastructure,” said Dr K Rathnam, MD, Amul Dairy.

“KDCMPUL or Amul Dairy in 2015 decided to select a suitable entrepreneur to establish a modern 200 (MTPD) balanced cattle feed plant in West Bengal. It is a great honour that our company was selected after stringent quality controls and compliances. Among others, balanced cattle feed is an important input toward increasing milk yield in bovines. We would increase the production capacity of the plant as per the local demand,” said Anirban Nath, Director, India Dairy Feeds Private Ltd.

“Initially, the cattle feed plant envisages producing BIS Type-III variant feed Nutri Plus; and responding to the farmers’ expectation, the plant may venture into producing few more variants in course of time. It must be our joint endeavor to ensure supply of best quality feed at a competitive price,” said Mr Anirban Nath. Mr Nath, who is also the Promoter-Director of India Dairy Products Ltd (IDPL), has been manufacturing Amul Milk, Ice-cream, Dahi, Lassi and Amul Kool. IDPL also manufactures milk, ghee, lassi under its own brand India Dairy.

Once a milk starved country, currently India has become a milk sufficient country having produced 146.3 million metric tonnes in 2014-15 and accounting for 17 per cent of global milk production. India also has the highest number of milk herds (299.9 million cattle and 105 million buffaloes as per the census in 2012). Nearly 85 per cent of India’s 125 crore population dwell in rural settings. Of whom, nearly 44 per cent households rear dairy animals for their livelihood whose average yield varies from 3 to 5 litres per animal per day.

Farmers are used to utilize crop residue, irrespective of their inferior quality, required to maintain the herd to produce economic volume of milk. Moreover, there is considerable shortage of green fodder, concentrate, other feed supplements; this is further aggravated by lack of awareness among farmers about scientific feeding practices.

Recently one of the most modern 1600 MTPD cattle feed plant has been established at Kapdivab in Kaira district. Since these plants are located at a great distance away and are hardly able to meet the local demand in states like West Bengal.

Thus a necessity is felt to establish/create facilities for making the feeds available to millions of farmers in the eastern part of the country. With this objective, the KDCMPUL (Amul Dairy) has started identifying local partners like India Dairy Feeds Pvt Ltd.

The produce of this Joyrambati plant would contain the most essential ingredients - Proteins, Fat, Carbohydrates, Minerals etc., as per BIS norms. Initially it would cater to the need of dairy farmers, both through village co-operatives under Amul as well as to other areas through selected vendors. This is expected to largely meet the local demand.

The dairy husbandry is largely managed by women folk in the rural area; given a conducive environment i.e. Training, Management, Financial assistance and Ready market, which our Co-operatives assure; they may find more interest and join in the profession thereby, raising their income. It is established that earning a minimum of Rs 4500 per animal per month is assured; and rearing 5 animals managed by a family will ensure earnings of up to Rs 22,500 per month for the family.

West Bengal Scenario

As per the Census, 2012, the number of dairy animals in West Bengal stands at 162 lakh; with a conservative estimate of concentrate use for the animal @ 3 kg per animal per day, the daily requirement is estimated to be 486 lakh per day i.e. 48,600 MTPD. Therefore, there stands a great demand of concentrates in this region as well. 

International Internships for iLEAD Students

International Internships for iLEAD Students

AISEC visited iLEAD to share opportunities of international internships and the necessary processes for the same. Yashc Kariwal an iLEAD student of BMS 2016 Pass out batch and also an AIESECer started the event by sharing his internship experience with AIESEC.Tarang Gupta (Vice-President - Global Citizen Students) and Aditya Shaw (Local Committee President) introduced AIESEC and shared the opportunities available for international internship and the necessary processes of applying to the same. The interaction between the speakers and the students was followed by registration of students interested in international internship. 

AIESEC is a global platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential. It is run by students and recent graduates of institutions of higher education. Its members are interested in world issues, leadership and management.

About ILEAd:

Institute of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Development (Ilead) is one of the premier Media can visitand Management School of Kolkata having world class infrastructure   excellent teaching and non teaching staff and is using latest educated technologies and is affiliated to West Bengal University of Technology (WBUT) and is located in the heart of the City. To know more about Ilead one www.ilead.net.in.

Launch of RPL Scheme under PMKVY for the Apparel Sector

                                                                

Launch of RPL Scheme under PMKVY for the Apparel Sector

RPL under PMKVY – Implementation by Labour Net with Raymond as the Industry Partner

Labour Net Services India Pvt Ltd, an NSDC partner, launched Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) for the Apparel Sector in association with Raymond as the industry partner on 14^th November, 2016at Inside Jnan Chandra Ghosh Polytechnic College, 7, Mayurbhanj Road, Kolkata. On the day of launch, a 12-hour orientation session was conducted as a part of preparatory training for RPL in Apparel skills. This involves 6 hours of training in technical skills followed by 4 hours of soft skills and 2 hours induction into assessments, related concepts, processes etc.The applicants to be compensated with one day’s wage. With RPL certification the tailors can opt for fresh trainings to upgrade their skills.

Commenting about this partnership, Ms. Gayathri Vasudevan, Co- Founder of LabourNet said “Skilled tailors with certification get paid higher when compared to uncertified ones thereby, the tailors received a RPL Certificate post the session which enables them to work at various apparels companies across the country at a reasonable wage”. Elaborating on the scheme, she also said, “The scope of the present project to conduct RPL assessments and certification for ‘Self-Employed Tailor’ and ‘Hand Embroidery Worker’ in the Apparel sector and plan to extend RPL to other industry sectors in the coming months”.

Raymond is a leader in the high-end Men’s apparel. Trust, Excellence, Quality, these are some of the abiding values that have been associated with Raymond over the years. Today, it has the distinction of being the world's largest integrated producers of worsted suiting fabrics. As an integrated player, Raymond provides end-to-end fabric solutions right from manufacturing worsted, woollen and linen fabrics to creating suits, trousers and apparel. Raymond employs a large pool of skilled tailors and Master Tailors to meet its objectives.

Raymond, along with LabourNet wishes to run the intervention for its tailors to:

a)      Give each tailor an Industry recognized certification that would help formalize the individual’s learning and give him industry-level credibility.

b)     Enable Raymonds to benchmark its tailors based on performance and categorise them as Silver. Gold or Platinum tailors and hence help chart out a career growth path for them.

c)      Enable Raymonds to benchmark performance based on national criteria and build subsequent learning interventions for its trainers based on identified areas of improvement. Raymond is a proponent of life-long learning and wishes to build a highly skilled workforce.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL addresses many issues in skill development of unorganized workforce. Through RPL assessments and certifications, candidates will be able to align competencies that they have acquired informally with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) for better opportunities in employment and higher education. It will also lead to the creation of an equitable system where the workers in the informal sector, who have acquired the skills on their own, can appear for RPL assessments and upskill themselves.

About the Apparel Sector

Indian Textile and Clothing (Apparel) industry is the second largest manufacturer in the world with an estimated export value of US$ 31 billion and domestic consumption of US$ 58 billion for the year 2011-12. The sector contributes to about 6% of the US$ 1.7 trillion Indian economy. It also provides employment to 35 million persons directly & 55 million persons indirectly. India is among the very few countries which have presence across the entire supply chain, from natural and synthetic fibres right up to finished goods manufacturing. It has presence in organised mill sector as well as decentralised sectors like handloom, power loom, silk, etc.

It has been observed that people who have been trained informally or have learnt through experience and are working in garment units or self-employed are not able to meet the demands from the industry. Due to their unorganized nature of work and lack of formal training, their skills and years of experience are left unrecognized and as a result of this, they are underpaid and fail to get secure employment. Therefore through RPL, their existing skills will be recognized and certified.

About LabourNet

Labour Net is a social enterprise dedicated to enabling sustainable livelihoods through skilling interventions, wage employment or self-employment. We focus on improving the socioeconomic status of the workforce in the informal sector through various ways of filling in the existing gaps. These gaps could be in the wages or the knowledge and skill levels or employability options. www.labournet.in

Labour Net was founded in 2006 and in the last three years we have scaled up considerably with our presence in 650 locations across India, impacting 440000 individuals.

Atal Innovation Mission at iLEAD

Atal Innovation Mission at iLEAD

With a vision to cultivate one million child innovators in India, Atal Innovation Mission by NITI Aayog, Government of India, is facilitating establishment of Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) in schools across India. The objective of this scheme is to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds; and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing etc. 

A total of 13,005 applications were received for ATLs and after due diligence 595 were shortlisted for final round of evaluations. These schools were called for the ATL Innovation Challenge on Saturday, 5th November 2016 at iLEAD (for Kolkata selections) for final round of selection of schools which will receive the grants to establish Atal Tinkering Labs. 

At iLEAD, around 60 schools from all around India took part to showcase their talents on various modern technology gadgets. Some of these schools were DAV Public School from Chandrashekharpur, Jamshedpur Public School, Bajitpur High School H.S, Government Model Higher Secondary School from Basna, Sandhya Modern High School from Gaya, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya from Borai Durg Chhattisgarh , Kalimpong Girls Higher Secondary School and many more.

These schools showcased their presentations and were asked questions related to it by the judges. Some of these researches were - a model of automatic bathroom system by DAV Public School, an Underground Water Reservoir using Speed-breakers by Jamshedpur Public School and a Recyclo Moulder Device which can mould polythene bags into useful products by Air Force School from Bagdogra.   

About ILEAd:

Institute of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Development (Ilead) is one of the premier Media can visitand Management School of Kolkata having world class infrastructure   excellent teaching and non teaching staff and is using latest educated technologies and is affiliated to West Bengal University of Technology (WBUT) and is located in the heart of the City. To know more about Ilead one www.ilead.net.in.

Blood Donation Awareness Camp and Blood Donation at iLEAD

Blood Donation Awareness Camp and Blood Donation at iLEAD

A Blood Donation camp was organized by Project Life Force at iLEAD on 4^th November.  The Blood Donation Awareness Camp organized on the previous day enlightened students about the rules, regulations and benefits of blood donation. Few key points in this awareness program was how blood donation poses no threat to the metabolism of the body, how donating blood can enrich the capacity of blood banks in the country and what makes one an eligible donor. On November 4^th, numerous student blood donors signed up for the donation.  After necessary checkups, the candidates donated their blood and received acknowledgement certificates with their photographs on them. Apart from encouragement provided to the donors by the army medics, healthy food combos and glucose were also provided to the donors for rejuvenating back to stability after the donation. iLEAD and Project Life Force took a step ahead in the mission to make Bengal a zero blood deficit state with this two day event.

About ILEAd:

Institute of Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Development (Ilead) is one of the premier Media can visitand Management School of Kolkata having world class infrastructure   excellent teaching and non teaching staff and is using latest educated technologies and is affiliated to West Bengal University of Technology (WBUT) and is located in the heart of the City. To know more about Ilead one www.ilead.net.in.

ICSI PRESS CONFERENCE

ICSI PRESS CONFERENCE

CS MamtaBinani,President, The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, while  speakingtothe Press stated that, “The Institute of Company Secretaries of India is a premier national professional body constituted under an Act of Parliament in 1980 is fully engaged in the propagation and promotion of Company Secretaries as Governance Professionals. With over 43,000 members and about 4,00,000 students, the Institute is in constant endeavor towards the transitioning of Company Secretaries as Governance Professionals.”

The President outlined the major initiatives of ICSI as under:

ICSI survey results  on   difference between perception & reality in corporates about Implementation of Anti-Sexual Harassment Law

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) released the results of the survey conducted on  Implementation   ‘Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013’, at a national event of ICSI   on Women Empowerment, titled ‘National Training Programme exclusively for Women Empowerment –Emancipate Women Prodigy to Rule the Roost” organised at Ramoji City, Hyderabad.

The Institute of Company secretaries of India (ICSI) celebrated its 48th CS Day on 4th October, 2016 at Kolkata

The Institute of Company secretaries of India (ICSI) celebrated its 48th CS Day on 4th October, 2016 at Kolkata. Derek O’Brien, MP, RajyaSabha& Leader, All India Trinamool Congress Inaugurates 48th CS Day at Kolkata

INAUGURATION OF ICSI-AHMEDNAGAR STUDY CENTER AT AHMEDNAGAR

The ICSI-New Law College Ahmednagar Study Centre has been inaugurated by the Institute on 1^stOctober 2016 at Ahmednagar in the august presence of CS HrishikeshWagh, Chairman, Pune Chapter of WIRC of ICSI and Shri. Mukesh Muley, General Council member AhmednagarJilha Maratha VidyaPrasarakSamaj’s New Law College, Ahmednagar (MH).

ICSI Initiatives on GST

The ICSI   is undertaking the following activities : 

·         Dedicated its August, 2016 issue of Chartered Secretary  to GST

·         Special Webinar Classes getting conducted on GST

·         Placed an exclusive Corner on GST  on ICSI’s website www.icsi.edu.

·         Conducting Awareness Programmes, Seminars, Sharing of  Knowledge  material, Panel discussion etc. on GST

·         Conducting symposiums on “Goods & Services Tax” in all major cities

·         Conducting Master Classes on GST

  

ICSI Launches month-long recruitment drive Ascentia 2016 to provide CS trainees to corporate

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India launches recruitment campaign for CS students on  1^st May, 2016..

 ICSI YOUTH Skills Festival – ‘Yuva Kaushal’ AT HYDERABAD

At “ YuvaKaushal” The Institute of Company Secretaries of India showcased   different  career opportunities which can effectively develop the students of various streams ( Arts ,Commerce &  Science)  at 10 + 2 as well as graduation  Level and inspire them to become successful  entrepreneurs.

This mega event was organised on the occasion of “World Youth Skills Day” which is celebrated worldwide every year on 15th July. Around 10,000 students participated in the programme.

GLOBAL CONGRUENCE ON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DAY AT HYDERABAD

A Global Congruence on International Corporate Governance Day  will  be organized by the ICSI  on  9-10 December, 2016.

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India has taken this initiative to profess and create international consensus through discussions for “International Corporate Governance Day” and moot the proposal with the United Nations Organisation (UNO) for declaring a day in a year as an “International Corporate Governance Day”.

“International Corporate Governance Day” a symbolic representation of systematic procedures, processes, stakeholder engagement and value creation for the society, shall bring various jurisdictions together for collective growth and development.

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) & NCLT Bar Association Organize Symposium on Companies Act 2013: Law and Practice

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) in association with National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Bar Association today organized a symposium on the Companies Act 2013: NCLT & NCLAT- Laws and Practice ON 23rd July, 2016. The symposium saw insightful and information packed sessions ranging from Appeals & Relevancy of laws in practise before NCLT & NCLAT, Nuances of drafting before NCLT and overview of code and insolvency resolutions. On the occasion a book on ‘Corporate Bankruptcy’ was also launched.

Capital Markets Week

As part of incessant initiatives towards investors’ education and Good Governance in Capital Markets, the ICSI, observed Capital Markets Week from June 18-25, 2016 Pan-India. The theme of this week was ‘Transcending Horizons - Capital Market Way’.

During this week, 13 mega programmes and a host of other programmes such as Academic Development Programmes, Panel Discussions, Lectures, Interactive Meetings with Capital Market Regulators/Stock Exchanges and Investor Awareness Programmes were organized by the Regional Councils and Chapters. The Institute also released a video lecture titled “Capital Raising by India: Emerging Scenario”.

Celebration of PCS Day

ICSI celebrated this treasured day with full zest and vehemence on 15 June to commemorate the historic day when the Company Secretaries in Practice were accorded recognition for Certifying the Annual Returns in 1988 under the erstwhile Companies Act and became the first premiere mile stone in the development of the practising side of the profession of Company Secretaries in India. Professionals like Practising Company Secretaries have a progressively distinct and well defined role to play in turning challenges faced by India Inc. into beneficial business opportunities which are taking the nation forward at a colossal speed. I appreciate your role towards the Profession of Company Secretaries and their contribution to promote and sustain Good Corporate Governance in the small and medium business sector across the country.

Interactive Meet with a High Level Delegation from Republic of Kenya

The interactive meet was arranged with a high level delegation from Homa Bay County, Republic of Kenya comprising of His Excellency Hon’ble Hamilton OnyangoOrata - Deputy Governor, Homa Bay County and Hon’ble Prof. Tom Peter MigunOgada - County Minister for Trade, Industrialization, Investment. The delegation had an open house session with the representatives from academia and industry and ICSI Senior officials. Addressing the august gathering, Kenyan Delegation apprised that Kenya offers quite attractive investment opportunities for Indian MSME sector desirous of entering African Markets and the Government is planning to develop specific themes with special focus on Cotton and Textile Industrial Park, Food Park, Leather Park etc. at present. He also invited the Indian Industry and entrepreneurs to pay a visit to Kenya and explore investment opportunities in the MSME segment.

CS Acceleration Centre (CSAC)

The Institute has launched first of its kind CS Acceleration Centre (CSAC) on 8 June to promote the CS profession by providing an opportunity to the young Company Secretaries a well-equipped platform with all State-of-the-Art infrastructural facilities for their professional Practice under the mission of 'Start-up India, Stand-up India' campaign of Government of India. Initially, the CSAC has been made operational at SIRO, Chennai, EIRO, Kolkata and Bengaluru Chapter of ICSI. CS Acceleration Centre (CSAC) is meant to facilitate the germane facilities and amenities to create a conducive work environment for the budding Company Secretary professionals who wish to establish their own practice as a CS professional.

Webinars - A Knowledge Building Initiative

As a part of knowledge building initiative, Professional iTellect the following webinars were conducted:

•     Webinar on ‘Genesis, Background of NCLT, Impact of Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code 2016’ on 10 June, 2016

•     Webinar on ‘Ground for Refusal to Transfer Shares - Remedies Available’ on 22 June 2016

•    Webinar on ‘Corporate Governance – Cutting Corners’ on 24 June, 2016. The video of the webinar would be uploaded at the website of Institute.

Celebration of International Day of Yoga

Yoga means ‘Addition - Addition of Energy, Strength and Beauty to Body, Mind and Soul.’ Yoga, a 5,000 years old tradition, provides a holistic approach to discover the sense of oneness with ourselves and also the Mother Nature. That is why, the idea of an International Day of Yoga was first proposed by Hon’ble ShriNarendra Modi during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on September 27, 2014 and it received support of 177 member countries without a vote too. Keeping this in view, the Institute, together with Ministry of AYUSH, celebrated International Day of Yoga on 21 June 2016.

As 'Governance Professionals', we pledged to further bring wellness to the lives of ourselves and our loved ones; adding to be a healthy nation on this day. My request to you all is to Make Yoga a part of our daily lives and to practice Yoga each day. ICSI 4 Regional Councils and 69 Chapters organised a one and a half hour Yoga sessions on this day for its Members and students of respective area/region across India which benefitted around 5 Lakh ICSI Stakeholders. The ‘Common Yoga Protocol’ of Ministry of Ayush was also shared with all ICSI stakeholders Pan India.

ICSI- Swachhta Pakhwada

The Hon’ble Prime Minister initiated the drive for “Swachh Bharat” as a mass movement to realize Gandhiji’s dream of a Clean India by the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in 2019. The Institute launched ‘SawchhtaPakhwada’ from 16 to 30 June, 2016 under the aegis of Ministry of Corporate Affairs at ICSI Offices all over India. As part of the drive, thematic activities on cleanliness/environment conservation was undertaken. Employees across the Country took the SwachhtaPledge for the healthy and progressive India. ICSI team is now using both sides of paper to reduce its paper consumption.

ICSI Website Home Page Renovation

On the basis of the feedback and demand of the stakeholders, the Institute has renovated the home page of its website with attractive look and feel. The new home page was launched on 16 June, 2016. Along with this, the Institute has also planned to renovate the complete website in coming months.

INTERNATIONAL ROUND TABLE ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

The Institute organised International Round Table on Corporate Governance on 15th April 2016 at VigyanBhawan, New Delhi. The Round Table had participation from academia, industry, professionals from various countries including France, Italy, Brazil, Sri Lanka. The participants deliberated on the idea of having a day declared as ‘International Corporate Governance Day’ (ICGD) by the United Nations and bringing out an ‘International Corporate Governance Code’. The Round Table demonstrated a strong commitment on having an International Corporate Governance Day and the development and enforcement of rigorous standards of corporate governance.

WHIRLWIND PLENARY ON EVANGELIZING THE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DAY

To evangelize the concept of ‘International Corporate Governance Day’, ICSI organised PAN India programmes across the length and breadth of the Country at around 44 locations,through its Regional Councils, Chapters and CCGRT on 16 April, 2016. The stimulus for organizing these programmes was to build consensus from across the Nation at all levels to have a day declared as ‘International Day for Corporate Governance’. The Chapters also released postage stamps on ICGD.

DUBAI GLOBAL CONVENTION

In its endeavour towards furthering the global footprint, Institute partnered with the Institute of Directors (IOD) in organizing the IOD’s ‘Dubai Global Convention 2016’ (in Partnership with TIMES NOW) on the theme “Empowering Boards to become Instruments of Innovation & Excellence” from 19-21 April, 2016, at Dubai. ICSI had the opportunity to address the participants at the Plenary Session on “Driving Excellence through Boardroom”. The convention was addressed by eminent professionals, distinguished academicians, leading industrialists and entrepreneurs and Government Officials from Dubai (UAE). The Institute also put up a stall at Dubai Global Convention for display of ICSI Publications and dissemination of information under the Government’s initiative of ‘Make in India’.

CORPORATE SECRETARIES INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION(CSIA) EXECUTIVE MEETING AT LONDON

The Institute is playing a significant role in obtaining international cooperation amongst the professional bodies, which share common aspirations and goals. The ICSI is one of the founding members of Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA), which is an International Body of Institute of Company Secretaries and Governance Professionals. One amongst many agenda was the point of inclusion of Secretarial Services in the list of services under WTO. ICSI delegation also met with the representatives of International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN), wherein it was discussed to work jointly for matters relating to corporate governance; in addition it was also discussed to share research based articles on corporate governance. The need for organizing joint professional development programmes in India for ICSI members were emphasized. The delegation also met the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI).

ICSI OUTREACH

With an objective to acknowledge and reiterate the association and bondage with existing precious Memorandum of Understanding partners of ICSI and to explore the avenues of new associations with them, ICSI is celebrating ‘ICSI Outreach’. ICSI has Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with various celebrious Institutes including Government and higher educational bodies, Chambers of Commerce, Stock Exchanges etc. to create synergies for capacity building of its members and students. ICSI Outreach effort shall further the cause of the MOUs.ICSI entered/ extended the following MOUs during the month of June:

• MoU with Competition Commission of India (CCI), New Delhi to support each other in the areas of mutual interest which includes competition advocacy, advancement of knowledge.

• MoU with National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), Faridabad to offer Joint Certificate Course(s)

• MoU with National Institute of Securities Market (NISM), Mumbai to foster academics and research between the two Institutes.

PROFESSIONAL ITELLECT - SERIES OF WEBCASTS AND WEBINARS

As part of building capacity for its members and students in new and emerging areas, a series of webcasts 'Professional iTellect' has been started to enrich the knowledge and wisdom of our dear members and students. A webinar was addressed on 28 April on the topic‘Accounting Standard10- Accounting for Fixed Assets’. A webinar on ‘Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2016’ to hold discussion on the amendments proposed in the Companies Act, 2013 and its implications on the various corporate compliances was also telecast in the month of April. Overwhelming response has been received from the stakeholders for both.

ICSI ASCENTIA 2016

Training is precious and intertwined component of CS curriculum; in fact, it is at training that our students come to learn practical aspects and the nitty-gritty of the profession. I am delighted to announce that in the month of May, the Institute is conducting a special drive across the Country to register maximum number of Companies/ Practising Company Secretaries/Law firms/Universities/other entities with ICSI, for imparting training to our CS Students.

NATIONAL SEMINAR SERIES – COMPANIES ACT, 2013: ‘NCLT AND NCLAT: CONVERGENCE OF CORPORATE JURISDICTION’

The Institute initiated National Seminar Series on National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) with National Foundation for Corporate Governance as the principal sponsor; for building capacity to face the professional challenges and in taking up cases with NCLT and NCLAT, which may come in the form of transitional challenges, i.e. transfer of cases from Company Law Board, High Court, BIFR to NCLT, new powers conferred on NCLT, manner of dealing with cases, drafting of applications/petitions, Court Crafts including Moot Court etc. The Institute has already organised National Seminars at Chandigarh on April 2, Guwahati on April 9, Kolkata on April 23, and Chennai on April 30. The eminent faculties gave effective key takeaways to the participants. Continuous efforts will be made by the Institute in this direction.

EARTH DAY 2016

We are blessed with a splendid planet and it is our duty to protect our mother Earth, but, the challenge is, all of us think that someone else is going to save it. Today, India ranks 4th in carbon emissions among nations worldwide. Though the Environment Protection Act, 1986, was one of the first legislations brought about by the legislature to protect the environment from degradation caused by the ever-increasing pollution, yet, it is all of us, whose coming together and offering little drops from our side will fill the ocean and make our legacy for generations to come. ICSI initiated a drive to make community aware about the same by celebrating Earth day week.

ICSI SIGNATURE AWARD

In a major step forward, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has instituted “ICSI Signature Award” for the topper in the Bachelor’s Degree examinations in Commerce conducted by the Central, State Universities and specialisedprogrammes/papers of Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) & Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) in India. The Central Universities and State Universities in India will be as per criteria followed by University Grants Commission from time to time.

The ICSI Signature Award will be awarded only to the Topper (One Medal) in the University examinations. The medal as per the specifications provided by the Institute will be arranged by the concerned University for distribution during Convocation or other ceremonies.

The ICSI Signature Award along with a certificate will be distributed annually in the Convocation of the University or any other appropriate function, preferably in the joint seminar with the ICSI if it is conducted in a particular year.

The top three students of the Universities and qualifications as covered under this Scheme will be eligible for full waiver of Registration Fee for Executive Programme Stage. This award will be presented to a candidate of sufficient merit of a minimum score of 60%.

After entering into nine MOUs with eminent Universities, ICSI went another mile to enter MOUs with IIM, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu and Panjab University, Chandigarh in the month of June. These MOUs will further the cause of youth empowerment and encourage young professionals to play important role in the decision making process at the highest level. Collaborations between such Institutions of excellence in the higher education sector are the need of the hour and will go a long way in empowering the student community.

CS OLYMPIAD

In a Landmark move, the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) will be conducting CS OLYMPIAD in September, 2016. CS Olympiad will be conducted for the 11th and 12th standard students appearing in the respective examinations in each academic year in schools across India. The first ‘CS Olympiad’ is scheduled to be held in September, 2016.

The Logo of CS OLYMPIAD was unveiled at the hands of CS Mamta Binani, President, ICSI in the presence of the ICSI central Council Members at New Delhi recently.

President, ICSI informed that "We are very pleased with the release of a visual identity for the CS Olympiad which is very relevant and will help us celebrate the essence of competitiveness. The present logo for the CS Olympiad manifests ICSI's philosophy besides depicting the essence of the event.

ICSI has entered into an MOU with Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) for conduct of CS Olympiad in schools across India.

  

ICSI STUDY CENTRES

The Institute is setting up “ICSI STUDY CENTRES” for imparting quality education & other basic services to the ICSI students in association with universities / colleges in order to create synergy between the university education and professional education to enhance the quality of education imparted to the ICSI students,

The ICSI Study Centres shall be set up in cities/ locations where the Regional/ Chapter Office of the ICSI does not exist.

Study centre shall be run by faculty or Department of Commerce or any other department having relevance to CS Course, by whatever nomenclature, on self-sustainable basis.

The respective department of the university/ college shall operate and manage the ICSI study centre.  Head of respective department of university / college in which the study centre has been set up or his representative will be designated as Director of the CS Study Centre.

STUDENT MONTH

The Institute has dedicated the month of July 2016 to its dear students by earmarking it as ‘Student Month’.Several pragmatic activities have been planned in all RCs/Chapters of the Institute across the country to mark this theme month. The slogan chosen for the theme is ‘Udaan-We Fuel Your Growth’. During the Student Month,special interactive sessions with colleges PanIndia, cultural programmes and get-togethers with the students, fresh batch of Full Time Integrated Course, Van Mahotsav Divas, various competitions for students, study notes, uniform start date for Class Room Teaching batches, E-Governance Programmes, Webcasts, meetings with the students and esteemed parents, mega student programmes, faculty induction programmes, training programmes on communication and soft skills, Samadhan Divas with focus on grievances redressal, cleanliness drives, campus placement programmes, career awareness programmes and national level Student Conference have been planned. I encourage my dear students to take part in these privileged initiatives with brimming enthusiasm and zeal.

  

SMASH PROJECT

In order to provide seamless 24X7 services to our dear students and the esteemed members, the Institute has launched ‘Student Member Application Software Hosting’ (SMASH). ICSI-SMASH project is one of the supreme projects of our Institute to provide an integrated automated online environment to the students and the members.

After one year of persistent and serene efforts, the first set of modules was launched on 16 June, 2016 in ‘Go Live’ mode. The new software shall be compatible with multiple electronic devices such as Smart phones, i-tabs and laptops. The project is an offshoot of the certitude and commitment of the venerated ICSI Council to strive for interminable enrichment in its services to our stakeholders. The new environment will automate and pull off the zenithal level of efficiency in services.

INITIATIVES FOR STUDENTS

Ø  A Merit Scholarship Scheme through ICSI Students Education Fund Trust has been developed under which highly meritorious students will be granted monthly scholarships for three years subject to the passing the various stages of CS Course at the first available opportunity.

Ø  Online facilities for syllabus switchover, claiming qualification-based paper-wise exemption, change of elective subject, etc have been made available on www.icsi.edu.

Ø  The Institute has completely switched over to Online Mode for Registration of Students w.e.f. 1st January, 2014.

Ø  The Institute has completely switched over to Online Mode for Examination Enrollmentw.e.f. 1st October, 2013.

Ø  A Grievance Solutions Cell has been established to look into the grievances of the students through a Grievance Portal and also through a dedicated E-Mail Id grievance.solutions@icsi.edu.

Ø  The syllabus of Foundation Programme, Executive Programme and Professional Programme have been revised.

Ø  The Institute has also introduced Open Book Examination(OBE) system for the Elective Papers where student can select one subject out of five subjects and give an Open Book Examination for the same .

Ø  OMR based Examinations and Computer-based Examinations are  conducted for Foundation Programme Stage.

Ø  OMR based Examinations for three papers under New Syllabus of Executive Programme .

Ø  An online English Learning course has been launched . Students can register online for the same onwww.icsi.edu.

Ø  The Study Materials are also available in PDF Format as well as E-Book form which can be downloaded by the students free of cost.

Ø  50% Concession in Registration and Examination Fee has been introduced for War Widows and Wards of Martyrs of military and para-military forces.

Ø  Introduction the facility of auto SMS to the students on receiving of Quarterly reports and Training completion certificate. 

Ø  Updation of  quarterly reports on the same date of submission has also been made available for students .

Ø  Students can check their training updation in their respective students accounts/Page at www.icsi.edu by logging into their accounts .

 MODIFIED TRAINING STRUCTURE FOR STUDENTS

Under the modified Training Structure a student who has passed the Final examination or Professional Programme examination of the Institute shall be eligible for Associate Membership of the Institute only after he/she  has undergone the practical training for a period of:

        i.      three years on registration for Executive Programme; or

      ii.      two years after passing the Executive Programme examination; or

    iii.      one year after passing the Professional Programme examination;

ICSI Launches Skill Development programme for its Students

In an endeavour to develop advanced professional skills amongst the CS Students , The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)  has launched a “15 days Academic Program” which shall be applicable for all Company Secretaryship (CS)   students who have passed/completed their Executive Program (i.e. passed both/all modules of CS Executive Program) on or after  25th August, 2015.

The Academic programme will be of 15 days and will be providing a comprehensive exposure to various aspects of becoming a well-trained CS Professional and will help the CS Executive Programme students in grooming themselves for playing an effective role as a Company Secretary in the Corporate world.

The Programme has been launched by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India to provide industry ready CS professionals to the corporate world.

Further details are available at institute’s website www.icsi.edu for the reference of the Students of CS Executive Programme. There is also provision for exemptions to those students who are having adequate working experience on case to case basis.

The 15 days academic programme launched by ICSI is also an endeavour to be in line with  the  ‘Skill India’ initiative of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, which aims to equip  the youth of India  with all the necessary skills to become a competitive global workforce.

Initiatives for MEMBERS

Institute has about  40000 Members across the country and abroad. The Institute aims to constantly develop competence of its members and the profession  by providing specific trainings at various platforms, bringing out effective guidelines on various professional development activities and harnessing many National and International tie-ups, added, Vice-President, ICSI.

Practising Company SECRETARIES:

Ø  PCS Induction programmes are being organised throughout the country and are getting overwhelming response from the members.

Ø  The Institute will be coming out with PIP Videos for the members located at remote places and who are unableattend the programmes physically.

TRAINING PROGRAMMES for Peer Reviewers

Ø Training Programmes for Peer Reviewers are being held throughout the country after mapping the number of PCS in each region with the number of Peer Reviewers available from that region.

Ø 1000 Practice Units have been identified using random sampling software for being peer reviewed during the current year.

Ø Introduction of online facility for registration of Company /PCS / other entities for imparting training.

Ø PCS are also allowed to impart 15 days specialized training.

capacity building.

Ø  The Institute has  Launched PMQ Course in five specialized subjects, namely, Banking Law and Practice; Insurance Law and Practice; Capital, Commodity and Money Market; Intellectual Property Rights – Law and Practice; and International Business – Law and Practice; Launched PMQ course in Competition Law and Restructured PMQ Course in Corporate Governance.

Ø  The Institute has also launched a Course on Valuation.

Ø  The workshops on Capacity building of professionals under the new Company Law are being organised by the Institute across the country.

Ø   The Corporate Laws Committee has identified topics for conducting Capacity Building Workshops on various aspects of the New Company Law.  These topics are Secretarial Audit, NCLT, Restructuring and Insolvency, Valuation, Annual Return and e-forms. 

INVETSOR EDUCATION & PROTECTION FUND (IEPF)

·         The Institute is organizing Investor Awareness Programmes through Regional Councils, Chapters and Resource Persons in coordination with Regional Directors/Registrar of Companies, MCA.

PLACEMENT PORTAL

·         The Portal provides “24X7” free of cost online platform for placement service to the corporates members.