CSEET October 2026 examination ongoing: ICSI to release subject-wise question papers

In short

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is conducting the CSEET October 2026 examination from October 1 to 6, 2026.
The examination is centre-based and includes three subjective papers and one OMR-based paper, each carrying 100 marks.
The restructured CSEET pattern, applicable from the June 2026 session, applies to candidates who registered on or after December 16, 2025.
Candidates must secure at least 40% in each paper and 50% in aggregate to pass the CSEET.
The ICSI will release the subject-wise question paper PDFs shortly after the examination concludes.

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is currently conducting the Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test (CSEET) October 2026 examination. The centre-based examination, which began on October 1, 2026, is scheduled so on October 6, 2026, at designated centres across various cities in India. The ICSI will release the subject-wise question paper PDFs shortly after the conclusion of the examination.

Official notification screenshot — Screenshot of the official page at www.icsi.edu

This October 2026 session marks one of the three annual examinations for CSEET, which also occur in February and June. The examination serves as an entry test for admission to the CS Executive Programme, though graduates and post-graduates are directly eligible for the programme and are not required to take the CSEET exam.

Revised CSEET Examination Pattern and Structure

The CSEET examination pattern underwent significant changes, effective from the June 2026 session. This restructured pattern applies to candidates who registered on or after December 16, 2025. The revised format shifts from an online remote-proctored, entirely Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) based examination to a centre-based mode incorporating both subjective (written answers) and OMR-based (MCQ) papers.

The examination consists of four papers, each carrying 100 marks, for a total of 400 marks. Three of these papers are subjective, while one paper is OMR-based. Candidates are allotted 15 minutes of question paper reading time for each paper. The passing criteria require candidates to achieve at least 40% marks in each paper and an aggregate of at least 50% marks. There is no negative marking in the OMR-based Business Laws and Management paper.

Particulars	Old Pattern (Final: Jan 2026)	New Pattern (Starts: June 2026)
Mode	Online (Remote Proctored)	Offline (Centre-Based)
Duration	2 Hours (Single Sitting)	4 Days (3 hours per paper)
Format	100% MCQ	Subjective & OMR
Total Marks	200 Marks	400 Marks
Negative Marking	No	No (specifically for OMR paper)

October 2026 Examination Schedule and Papers

The CSEET October 2026 examination is being conducted over four days, with one paper scheduled per examination day. The examination language for all papers is English. The subjective papers, Business Communication, Fundamentals of Accounting, and Economic and Business Environment, have a duration of three hours each, with timings from 2:30 PM to 5:45 PM, including reading time. The OMR-based paper, Business Laws and Management, has a duration of two hours, with timings from 2:30 PM to 4:45 PM, including reading time.

The Business Laws and Management paper is further divided into 60 marks for Business Laws and 40 marks for Business Management. The ICSI’s official portal, www.icsi.edu, is the designated platform for updates and the release of question papers.

Date of Exam	Paper	Maximum Marks	Exam Pattern	Duration
01 Oct, 2026	Business Communication	100	Subjective	3 Hours
03 Oct, 2026	Fundamentals of Accounting	100	Subjective	3 Hours
05 Oct, 2026	Economic and Business Environment	100	Subjective	3 Hours
06 Oct, 2026	Business Laws and Management	100	OMR-Based	2 Hours

Registration and Fee Structure for CSEET

The registration window for the October 2026 attempt was open from February 16 to May 31, 2026. Following registration, candidates had an enrollment window from July 1 to August 7, 2026, to pay the examination fee and select their preferred examination centre. A late enrollment fee of ₹250 applied for those who missed the initial deadline.

The one-time registration fee for CSEET is ₹7,500, which includes Student Induction Programme (SIP) and online classes. The examination enrollment fee is ₹1,500 per session. Candidates planning for future sessions, such as February 2027, should note the respective registration and enrollment deadlines.