REVISED GUIDELINES FOR ORGANISATION OF ICSI CONVOCATION
(as approved by Council in its 214th meeting held on 15-16th March, 2013)
Introduction
The convocation denotes a group of people to formally assemble for a special purpose. Generally the word convocation is being used in the context of Universities/Academic/Professional Institutes whereby the degrees-both formal and honorary are conferred upon all eligible persons.
The practice of convocation is quite prevalent in India and most of the universitiesorganize Convocation once in a year for conferring the degrees to all eligible students.
1. Objectives of Convocation Ceremony
(i) To award the certificate of membership of the Institute to newly qualified members.
(ii) To confer the Honorary Membership of the Institute.
(iii) To enable the newly qualified members to feel about the dignity of being a member of the Institute.
(iv) To create brand image of Institute in Industry and student community.
(v) To generate belongingness amongst the members with the Institute.
2. Periodicity of Convocation
The Convocation shall be held in all the four Regions once in a year.
3. Who will be eligible to attend the Convocation?
(i) All qualified candidates whose names have been entered in the Register of members as an Associate at least 30 days before the Convocation is held.
(ii) A person upon whom the Institute decided to confer Honorary Fellow Membership.
(iii) Meritorious Students (National)
4. Application for Convocation Ceremony
(i) All eligible candidates whose name have been approved for entering into the Register Of Members of the Institute by Council, shall be informed about the Convocation Ceremony by way of electronic communication.
(ii) The communication shall contain the details of Convocation Ceremony along with the registration form for Convocation Ceremony.
(iii) The candidates interested to attend the Convocation must within 15 working days before the date fixed for the Convocation, inform the Secretary in writing of their intention to attend the Convocation.
(iv) No candidate shall be admitted to the Convocation who has not communicated his willingness to attend the Convocation within the prescribed time.
5. Sponsorship for Convocation
The Institute may invite sponsorships from corporates and industry to meet the expenses of Convocation.
6. Who will preside over the Convocation?
President of Institute shall, when present, preside over the Convocation. The Vice President of the Institute shall preside over the Convocation in the absence of the President.
7. Placement carnival before or immediately after the Convocation
Placement carnival may be organized for the newly qualified members and meritorious students before or after the Convocation Ceremony. This will be useful for the industry as they may be able to meet a good pool of newly qualified Company Secretaries and meritorious students of the Institute.
8. Who will present the Certificate of Membership
The Membership Certificate shall be presented by the President/dignitary/Secretary/Chief Executive.
9. Convocation Address
Dignitaries from Government, regulatory authorities, industrialists, head of academic and management Institute/Past Presidents shall be invited to deliver Convocation Address.
10. Dress code for Convocation
(i) Candidates attending the Convocation shall wear a formal dress at the convocation ceremony.
(ii) Male members shall wear the Royal Blue Colour Blazer/Navy Blue Colour Blazer with tie having ICSI Logo
(iii) Female members shall wear saree/business suit with saree pin, lapel pin having ICSI Logo.
The Institute shall make arrangements for availability of Tie, Lapel Pin, Saree Pin at the venue of the Convocation.
11. Kit to be given to the newly admitted members
A kit containing following shall be given to the newly admitted members as under :
(i) A copy of the Company Secretaries Act, 1980
(ii) A copy of the Company Secretaries Regulations, 1982
(iii) A copy of Compendium on Secretarial Standards
(iv) A copy of Guidance Note on Code of Conduct for Company Secretaries
12. Stay arrangement for Participants
All eligible candidates attending the Convocation Ceremony shall make the travel and stay arrangement on their own at and around the place of Convocation.
13. Attending Convocation ceremony by the relatives/Friends of newly admitted members
(i) The eligible candidates shall be allowed two accompanying family members/guest at the convocation ceremony.
(ii) No person shall be allowed to attend the Convocation as a representative of newly admitted member, if a person abstains from attending the Convocation, his Membership Certificate shall be sent by the registered post/courier at the address given in application form.
14. Convocation Committee
(i) The President shall constitute a Convocation Committee consisting of himself as Chairman and the Vice-President, Central Council Members belonging to four Regional Constituency and the Secretary of the Institute, as members.
(ii) The Convocation Committee shall be assisted by the Directorate of Membership, Directorate of Examination and Directorate of Training and Placement.
15. Convocation Sub Committee
(i) The Convocation Committee shall constitute Convocation sub Committee comprising of elected Council Members of the Regional Constituency in which the Convocation is being held and the office bearers of the concerned Regional Council.
(ii) The Convocation Committee shall nominate the Chairman of Sub Committee from amongst its members belonging to the Region in which the Convocation is being held.
(iii) Where the Convocation is being held in the jurisdiction of a Chapter, the Chairman of that Chapter shall also be the member of Sub Committee. If any other Chapter(s) become(s) co-host(s), Chairman of that Chapter(s) shall also be member of Sub- Committee.
(iv) President, Vice-President, elected Council Members of the Regional Constituency in which the Convocation is being held, Secretary, Chief Executive, Chairman of sub-Committee and Office bearers of the concerned Regional Council shall be entitled for re-imbursement of their travel and other expenses for attending the Convocation and its meeting(s).
16. President and Vice President to be Special Invitees
The President and Vice President of the Institute shall not act as member of the Convocation Sub Committee However, President and Vice President may be special invitees to the meetings of the Sub Committee.4Secretary/Chief Executive/or Senior Director/Directors involved in organisation of Convocation will normally participate in each meeting of the Convocation Sub-Committee. One of such Directors shall act as Member Secretary to the Sub Committee as authorised by Secretary/Chief Executive of the Institute.
17. Expenditure on Convocation
(i) The Convocation being the National Programme, the Headquarter shall reimburse the expenses incurred by the Regional Councils in organisation of the Convocation, from the ICSI Budget earmarked for the purpose.
(ii) Secretary and/or Chief Executive shall be authorized to approve the expenditure in relation to organisation of Convocation.
18. Fee for attending Convocation
(i) No fee shall be charged from candidates for attending the Convocation and that the Institute shall provide Convocation robes to all candidates free of cost.
(ii) Only high tea will be served to all persons present at the close of the Convocation.
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AT THE CONVOCATION CEREMONY
1. The Chief Guest, President, Vice President, Council Members, Secretary, Chief Executive and dignitaries shall assemble in the meeting room at the appointed hour and shall walk in procession in the following order to the Convocation Hall :
(i) Chief Executive
(ii) Secretary
(iii) Chairman of Regional Council
(iv) Chairman of Convocation Sub Committee
(v) Members of the Central Council
(vi) Vice President of the Institute
(vii) President of the Institute
(viii) Chief Guest
2. The candidates shall sit on the seats allotted to them.
3. On the procession entering the Hall, the candidates shall rise and remain standing until the Chief Guest, The President, The Secretary, Chief Executive and other dignitaries take their seats.
4. The Secretary/Chief Executive or other dignitaries (having obtained the permission of the President/Chief Guest) shall declare the Convocation open.
5. Once the Convocation is open, Chief Guest, President, Secretary/Chief Executive will address.
6. After that the Secretary/Chief Executive shall request the candidates to stand and recite the following Oath :
“I solemnly affirm on oath that having admitted as member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, I will conduct myself as being worthy member of the Institute and faithfully and diligently adhere to core values of the profession of Company Secretaries at all occasion and maintain its reputation”.
7. The candidates shall be invited individually by the Secretary/Chief Executive or other officials of the Institute who shall be presented Certificate of Membership of the Institute by the President/Chief Guest/Guest of Honour/Secretary/Chief Executive.
8. At the end of the presentation of Certificate of Membership, the Secretary/Chief Executive with the permission of the President will declare the Convocation closed.
9. The procession will then leave the Convocation Hall in the same order in which it entered, the candidates standing.
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