FAQs on (PCH) Programme Credit Hours for CS in employment / practice

Question Answer based on (PCH) Programme Credit Hours for CS in employment or in practice.

Q.1. What is PCH?

Ans. The term PCH refers to Programme Credit Hours. Credit Hours represent attendance by a member of approved learning programmes, The Perspective Planning Group constituted by the Council had recommended compulsory attendance by members at Professional Development Programmes as a means of ensuring constant updation of knowledge and skills of members. The Council of the Institute, accordingly, formulated Guidelines for Compulsory Attendance of Professional Development Programmes by Members which hitherto required every member in practice of the Institute

Q.2. How many PCH is to be obtained by a member?

Ans. The minimum number of credit hours to be obtained by each member of the Institute up to March 31, 2020 would be as under:

Member’s age	Below 60 years		Above 60 years but below 65 years
Status	Employment	Practice	Employment	Practice
PCH in each year	10	15	5	8
PCH in the block of 3 years	35	50	18	25
CoP / Employment taken during	Employment	Practice	Employment	Practice
1 April 2017 – 31 March 2018	20	30	10	15
1 April 2018 – 31 March 2019	10	15	5	8
1 April 2019 – 31 March 2020	0	0	0	0

Q.3. How do I get PCH?

Ans. A member of the Institute is granted PCH for attending approved learning programmes or for carrying out unstructured learning activities.

Q.4. What is approved learning program?

Ans. Approved Learning Program means any Professional Development Program, Continuing Education Program, Participative Certificate Program of the ICSI, Programmes organised through electronic / distance mode or any other program, Seminar or study circle meeting organised by the Council, Regional Council, Chapter or Satellite Chapter of the Institute, and programmes organised jointly with professional bodies or Chambers of Commerce.

Q.5. What is the manner of calculation of Programme Credit Hours?

Ans. No Program Credit Hours will be awarded for any learning program whose duration is less than 1 hour.

The basis of calculation of Program Credit Hours will be as under:

No. of hours of Learning Program attended by the member	Program Credit Hours (PCH)
Beyond 1 hour and up to 2 hours	1
Beyond 2 hours and up to 4 hours in a single day	2
Beyond 4 hours in a single day	4
Sl. no. Learning Activity PCH 1 Web-based learning including e-learning, subject to the production of Certificate, per year. 4 2 Publication of an article in a journal of repute other than the Chartered Secretary Journal. 4 3 Publication of book(s). 8 4 Revision of Published Book 4 5 Acting as Guide / Supervisor for M.Phil. / LL.M. / Ph.D. 6 6 Suggestions on Questionnaires / Consultative Papers / Exposure Draft, etc. sought by the Institute. 2 7 Reviewing of Articles / Guideline Answers / Study Material and other publications of the Institute. 4 8 Publication of Research findings / Studies on the areas relevant to Corporate Sector, Capital Markets and Professional interest. 4 9 Publication of articles of professional interest in national dailies. 4 10 Visit foreign countries as part of the government delegation. 4 11 Acting as visiting faculty or guest faculty at the various Universities / Management Institutions / Institutions of National importance. 4 The program spanning 1 ½ days	6
The program spanning 2 days	8
The program spanning 2 ½ days and above/National Convention	10

Q.6. How many Programme Credit Hours be granted for unstructured learning activities?

Ans. The members shall be granted Programme Credit Hours (PCH) under these Guidelines for undertaking any of the following unstructured learning activities subject to a maximum of ten PCH in each year of the block:

Q.7. Where do I find the details of programmes being organised by the ICSI for its members?

Ans. The details of programmes organised by the ICSI are available on the ICSI website, CS Updates and the Chartered Secretary Journal. For programmes organised by the Regional Councils and Chapters of the Institute, members may contact the respective Regional Council / Chapter offices or refer to their newsletters.

Q.8. What is the current block?

Ans. The current block of three years is from April 01, 2017 to March 31, 2020.

Q.9. What are the consequences if I do not obtain the mandatory Programme Credit Hours within the stipulated time?

Ans. A member who fails to obtain the mandatory Programme Credit Hours during the stipulated period would be liable to disciplinary action for non-compliance with the Guidelines issued by the Council under the provisions of the Company Secretaries Act, 1980 and the CS Regulations as amended.

Q.10. What is the fee for attending the Professional Development Programmes?

Ans. The Fee for each programme organised by the Institute or its Regional Councils and Chapters is disclosed in the programme announcement.

Q.11. Where can I find the information of the Programme Credit Hours obtained by me till date?

Ans. The Institute does not issue the physical certificate for Programme Credit Hours, members may check the status of Programme Credit Hours obtained by him/her by logging in to the ICSI portal for members available at www.icsi.edu

Q.12. Where can I find the PCH Guidelines?

Ans. The Guidelines for Compulsory Attendance of Professional Development Programmes by the Members may be downloaded from the ICSI website at the link: http://www.icsi.edu/WebModules/CP/PDPGuidelines3.pdf

Q.13. Who is required to obtain compulsory Programme Credit Hours?

Ans. Every member of the Institute holding a Certificate of Practice or in employment i.e. in whose name eform 32 (in terms of the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956) / DIR -12 (in terms of the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013) has been filed with the RoC is required to obtain the mandatory number of PCH each year.

Q.14. I am a senior citizen (i.e. of more than 60 years of age) do I required to obtain the Programme Credit Hours as prescribed in the Guidelines?

Ans. Members above the age of 60 years shall be required to obtain 50% of the PCH required to be obtained by the members below 60 years.

Q.15. To whom the requirement of Compulsory Programme Credit Hours is not applicable?

Ans. The requirement of compulsory PCH shall not apply to :

(a) A member who attains the age of 65 years during a particular calendar year.

(b) A member, for the year during which he gets his Certificate of Practice for the first time.

(c) A member or class of members to whom the Council may in its absolute discretion grant full/partial exemption either specific/general, on account of facts and circumstances in case of :

• Maternity / Paternity Leave
• Accident/Medical Emergencies
• Unemployment
• Any other case, as may be deemed appropriate by the Council on a case to case basis.

Q.16. I am residing in a remote area where there is no chapter of the Institute. To attend a programme I have to travel 100 kms, can I claim exemption from Programme Credit Hours?

Ans. For Members who reside in places beyond 100 km from the nearest Regional Council/Chapter and attend a program at any Program Learning Centre, they shall be awarded double the Program Credit Hours for which the concerned Program is entitled. However, this will not apply to attendance at the National Convention/National Conference of Practising Company Secretaries/Regional Conferences organised by the Regional Councils. Such members have also the option to prepare a research paper on a topic recommended by the Secretariat.

Where the members in practice residing in remote places are not able to attend the professional development programmes, they may write to the Institute for approving a topic on which they can prepare the research paper to get the exemption from securing programme credit hours.

The Research paper includes :

• A concept paper on emerging areas of practice for Company Secretaries
• A Referencer/backgrounder on contemporary topics relevant to Company Secretaries
• A booklet on any topic relating to the areas of practice for Company Secretaries
• A monograph on any contemporary topic relevant to the Practising Company Secretaries
• An empirical study of practical relevance to the Practising Company Secretaries

Members whose research paper is approved by the Professional Development Committee of the Council will be exempted from the requirement of securing programme credit hours for a block of three years.

Members who reside in places beyond 100 Kms. from the nearest Regional Council/Chapter will be entitled to Eight Programme Credit Hours if their article/reply to prize query is published by the Chartered Secretary.

Q.17. My earnings from practice just enable me to run my family, can I be exempted from payment of fees for attending Professional Development Programmes?

Ans. Such members may acquire PCH through unstructured learning activities.