PK Sharma addresses participants at the students’ induction programme at Bihar Industries Association in Patna on Monday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, March 7: Professional courses have created a niche in the state and it was evident from the crowd gathered at the seminar hall of Bihar Industries Association.

With fees of MBA courses running high, students are opting for more practical options like company secretary that has growth opportunities.

Around 200 students came together today for the inaugural student induction programme of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), Patna chapter.

The institute, a professional organisation and a statutory body under an act of Parliament, offers training to students aspiring to be company secretaries.

Kuhagra Gupta, a BCom student who has enrolled in the course, said: “There is a huge rush for MBA courses. The course fees are also very high. But in this course we need to pay only Rs 7,000 as admission fee. Once we complete the course, we can become secretary of any company as there are several companies that require secretaries. According to a rule of the central government, it is mandatory for a company with an annual turnover of more than Rs 5 crore to hire company secretaries. “

On his reasons to choose the professional course, Gupta said: “This is not just any course. It will lead us to a job in a reputed company. We will perform our duties towards the stakeholders, management and the government. There is also a lot of scope and possibility to grow in the profession as we can go up to become the chairman of a company.”

Another student Mohammad Rizwan Ansari stressed on the possibility of growth in the field. “I firmly believe there are several companies in Bihar whose annual turnover is more than 5 crore and need company secretaries,” he said.

P.K. Sharma, a member of the first batch of the institute, was also present at the induction programme that will end on March 13. He said the students should take the course seriously and work with sincerity and honesty. “Before the students embark on the course, they must remember its perspective. They must understand their duty and responsibility as a company secretary and should not work under any pressure from the board of directors,” said Sharma.

He cited the example of the company secretary of Bata who is behind bars for committing forgery under pressure from the board of directors. “If a company secretary fails to perform his/her duty, the company will have less profit margin and will land in trouble. Company secretaries play a very significant role because they implement the company’s decisions and various other works go through him,” Sharma added.

Chairman of ICSI Patna chapter Santosh Kumar emphasised on the importance and necessity of the programme. He also advised the students to be attentive in the course so that they can gain as much expertise as possible.

The induction programme was inaugurated by O.P. Sharma, the registrar of companies, Bihar and Jharkhand.