Guidelines for the ICSI Pre-Examination Test & Steps to Apply

The ICSI CS Pre Examination Test 2025 has been organized by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) for those who wish to appear in the CS Executive or CS Professional exams. For the candidates, this test is important before they register for the main exam. It is relevant to all the students complying with the New Syllabus of 2022.

For eligibility, the CS Pro exam is a requirement, and the candidates would be required to pay the exam fee online. The process of registration for the ICSI CS exam in June 2025 is currently open, with the due date (without late fee) being March 25, 2025.

Company Secretary Pre-Examination Test 2025

The CS Pre Examination Test for 2025 is an important exam that the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) conducts for candidates desiring to pursue the CS Executive or CS Professional levels. For registration in the main examination, it serves as a requirement. Under the new syllabus 2022, all the students need to appear for the same test, which specifies the eligibility criteria. The mode of payment is online for the exam fee.

ICSI CS Pre-Examination Test Pattern

It is essential to learn the exam pattern if you are getting ready for the CS Pre-Examination Test. Below is the table that specifies the CS Pre-Examination Test Pattern for your reference.

CS Pre-Examination Test Pattern
Features	Details
Nature of Questions	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Exam Duration	60 minutes
Number of questions	50
Total marks	100
Negative marking	Yes, 25% of the allotted marks will be deducted
Test difficulty level	Easy, Medium and Tough will have ratio of 30:40:30

Preparation for the CS Pre-Examination Test Pattern

Under the CS new syllabus introduced in 2022, the candidates preparing for the CS Examination, particularly the CS Executive or CS Professional exams, are mandated to undertake the CS Pre-Exam Test (PET).

The students who desired to take part in the ICSI CS PET would need to follow the steps below-

Step 1: Go to the official website of ICSI at https://www.icsi.edu/e-learning/.

After this, the next screen will be shown as

Step 2: Navigate to the ‘E-learning’ tab and thereafter select the Pre-Interview Test (PET) tab.

Step 3: Opt for the explicit examination for which you wish to appear.

Step 4: Choose the proper module related to your selected examination.

On the screen shown below, please select the Exam Stage, like Executive or Professional

Step 5: Give your login credentials, wherein your login ID is your registration number (without any slash sign), followed by @icsi.edu. For instance, if your registration number is 1234567/10/2018, your login ID will be 1234567102018@icsi.edu. The default password for the initial login is Learn@1234.

Step 6: Move to undertake the Pre-interview test online

Complying with the above-mentioned steps will ease you into the engagement with the CS Pre Examination Test.

Guidelines for the CS Pre-Examination Test in 2025 

For appearing in the CS Pre Examination test, it is significant for the candidates to review the test guidelines. Below are the key points to learn-

1. Passing the CS Pre-Examination test is obligatory for both the CS Executive and CS Professional levels.
2. The test mode will be online, and the candidates can appear for the test from home or a cyber cafe.
3. Candidates, to pass the CS Pre examination test, would be required to score at least 40%.
4. Online Computer-Based
   • The student can take the test from his home, a cyber café or any other location.
   • Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) type with negative marking of 25% of the allotted marks:
   • The online test shall be of 100 marks.
   • The duration of the test shall be 60 minutes.
   • The total questions in the test shall be 50.
5. The students can try for the Pre-Examination Test for a precise subject up to three times in a day, with a minimum 8-hour gap between attempts.
6. A student appearing in an examination session should pass all the subjects in the module they desire.
7. If a student passes a test in the subject, then the result shall be valid for the forthcoming examinations. 
8. The candidates failing the CS Pre-Examination Test shall not be eligible to register for the CS Executive or CS Professional exams.
9. The students with switch to the New syllabus in 2022 should pass the pre-exam test before registering for exams under the new syllabus. 
10. After the switch, the students should clear the pre-examination test for the non-exempted subjects to be eligible for the main examination.

You can find the official user guide including details on the Pre-Examination Test, downloading certificates, and technical requirements for using the LMS—on the ICSI E-Learning Portal by following this link: https://www.icsi.edu/media/webmodules/LMSManual2017SyllabusPreExamination12032024.pdf

FAQs for the ICSI CS Pre-Examination Test