ICSI CSEET Study Material – New Syllabus

The Company Secretary Executive Entrance Test (CSEET) is the entrance test for the CS Executive Programme. It is held three times a year, in the first week of February, June and October, at examination centres (ICSI's FAQs on the restructured CSEET, Q 4 and Q 5). Graduates and some other groups are exempt and can register for CS Executive directly; our CSEET registration guide lists them with the fees and last dates.

ICSI CSEET Study Material

ICSI provides the CSEET study material in two ways:

• At registration: "The study material will be made available to the students at the time of registration" (Student Services FAQs, Q 29). ICSI also issues a printed version of the books.
• On its website, free: the same FAQ answer says the material is also available on ICSI's website. Anyone can download it; you do not need to log in.

To find it on ICSI's website:

1. Open ICSI's CSEET Academics page.
2. Click Study Material for Restructured CSEET. The page lists one PDF for each paper.
3. Open the paper you need and download or print the PDF.

You can also use these direct links to ICSI's paper-wise PDFs (file sizes as listed on ICSI's page, 9 September 2026):

If you have the printed Fundamentals of Accounting book, also download ICSI's Corrigendum & Supplement. It revises certain illustrations in the printed book; ICSI says the changes are already included in the PDF on its website.

Old CSEET reference material

Before June 2026, CSEET followed ICSI Syllabus 2022: a 200-mark multiple-choice test in remote proctored mode, with papers on Business Communication, Legal Aptitude and Logical Reasoning, Economic and Business Environment, and Current Affairs and Quantitative Aptitude (ICSI Syllabus 2022). The last session in that format was held on 10 January 2026 (FAQs on the restructured CSEET, Q 3). ICSI's old "Reference Reading Material" PDFs for those papers are no longer at their old web addresses.

Don't prepare for the new CSEET from the old material. Logical reasoning, quantitative aptitude and current affairs are not part of the restructured syllabus, while Fundamentals of Accounting is now a full paper. Our CSEET syllabus guide compares the old and new papers and lists the topics in each.

CSEET Study Books

ICSI's own study material is the main book for each paper: there is one book per paper, and each starts with the official syllabus for that paper and its lesson list. Every lesson ends with a "Lesson Round-Up" and "Test Yourself" questions. The lessons in each book are listed below (from the "Arrangement of Study Lessons" page of each PDF).

Paper 1: Business Communication

A 100-mark written paper of 3 hours (FAQs on the restructured CSEET, Q 7). The book has four lessons:

1. Essentials of Good English
2. Communication
3. Business Correspondence
4. Common Business Terminologies

Paper 2: Fundamentals of Accounting

A 100-mark written paper of 3 hours. The book has eight lessons:

1. Basic Concepts and Principles of Accounting
2. Accounting Process
3. Bank Reconciliation Statement
4. Depreciation and Amortization
5. Preparation of Final Accounts for Sole Proprietorship
6. Partnership and LLP Accounts
7. Introduction to Company Accounts
8. Accounting for Non-Profit Organizations

Paper 3: Economic and Business Environment

A 100-mark written paper of 3 hours. The book has two parts and twelve lessons:

• Part A, Economic Environment: Basics of Demand and Supply and Forms of Market Competition; National Income Accounting and Related Concepts; Indian Union Budget; Indian Financial Markets; Indian Economy.
• Part B, Business Environment: Entrepreneurship Scenario; Business Environment; Key Government Institutions; Global Environment; Environmental Governance; AI and Business Environment; Elements of Corporate Governance.

Paper 4: Business Laws & Management

A 100-mark OMR-based (multiple-choice) paper of 2 hours, with no negative marking (FAQs on the restructured CSEET, Q 7 and Q 31). The book has two parts and ten lessons:

• Part A, Business Laws (60 marks): Introduction to Law; Elements of Company Law; Elements of Law of Contracts; Elements of Law relating to Partnership and Limited Liability Partnership; Elements of Law relating to Sale of Goods; Elements of Law relating to Negotiable Instruments.
• Part B, Business Management (40 marks): Introduction to Management; Functions of Management; Principles of Management and Modern Approaches; Management Knowledge for Company Secretaries.

ICSI's study material also asks students to follow updates on regulators' websites, the supplements ICSI issues for each subject and the monthly CSEET e-Bulletin, and to write to academics@icsi.edu with any doubts.

Books for Self-Study for CSEET

If you study on your own, start with ICSI's four books: they follow the syllabus exactly and are free. Private publishers also sell CSEET guides, scanners and question banks. We don't recommend particular titles, but before you buy one, check that:

• it says it is for the restructured CSEET (June 2026 session onwards);
• it has a full Fundamentals of Accounting paper and a Business Laws & Management paper;
• it has no sections on logical reasoning, quantitative aptitude or current affairs, which belong to the old CSEET.

CSEET Mock Test, Notes, and Previous Year Papers

Because the restructured CSEET was first held in June 2026, there are only a few official papers for the new pattern so far:

• Sample question papers: ICSI has published two sets (Set 1 and Set 2) of sample papers for each of the four papers on its sample question papers page.
• Guideline answers: ICSI's Guideline Answers for CSEET June 2026 cover all four papers of the first restructured session. ICSI notes that they are indicative rather than exhaustive.

Question papers from sessions up to January 2026 were for the old multiple-choice test, so use them only for the topics that are still in the syllabus. How the papers are set out, question by question, is explained in our CSEET exam pattern guide.

To get the most out of these papers:

• Finish the relevant lessons of ICSI's study material before you attempt a paper.
• Read the instructions on each paper: in ICSI's Set 1 Business Communication paper, for example, Question 1 is compulsory and you answer any five of Questions 2 to 8.
• Practise writing full answers within the time allowed, then compare them with the guideline answers.
• Note your mistakes and go back to those lessons.

CSEET Mock Test Papers

• Attempt mock tests regularly once you have finished the syllabus of a paper.
• Take each one in a single sitting and within the exam time: 3 hours for Papers 1 to 3 and 2 hours for Paper 4 (FAQs on the restructured CSEET, Q 7).
• Keep a record of your scores and see which topics pull them down.
• Spend more practice time on the sections where you lose the most marks.
• Remember that you must pass all four papers in one sitting, with at least 40% in each paper and 50% in aggregate (FAQs on the restructured CSEET, Q 11), so don't leave a weak paper for later.

Making your own notes

A good set of notes is a must for every exam. Making your own notes while you study ICSI's material helps you understand the subject and gives you something short to revise from. The Lesson Round-Up at the end of each lesson is a useful starting point.

When you finish a subject, review your notes for a quick revision, and do the same a few days before the exam. In the last week before the exam, revise your notes and practise papers rather than starting new topics.

Study Tips to Ace Your CSEET Exam

• Along with any classes you attend, set aside a few hours of self-study each day with ICSI's study material. ICSI also runs free online classes for registered CSEET students in each session (FAQs on the restructured CSEET, Q 28).
• As you complete the syllabus of one paper, start practising the sample papers for that paper.
• Plan your time across all four papers. Three are written papers, so practise writing answers, not just reading.
• Create a study schedule that leaves time for other activities you enjoy.
• Avoid focusing on a single subject for too long; rotate subjects in your study routine.
• If you have other commitments, use online lectures, which you can watch at any time.
• Revise each paper properly once you finish its syllabus, and again before the exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ICSI Provide Study Material For CSEET?

Yes. ICSI gives registered CSEET students the study material at registration and publishes the same books as free PDFs on its website (Student Services FAQs, updated 18 September 2026, Q 29).

How To Download CSEET Books PDF?

Go to ICSI's Study Material for Restructured CSEET page and open the PDF for each of the four papers, or use the direct links in the table above.

Can I Use The Old CSEET Study Material For The New Syllabus?

No. The old material was written for the multiple-choice CSEET under ICSI Syllabus 2022, which included legal aptitude, logical reasoning, current affairs and quantitative aptitude. From June 2026 the papers are different, so use ICSI's restructured CSEET study material.

What Is The Passing Criteria For CSEET?

You must score at least 40% in each paper and 50% in aggregate of all papers in one sitting. There is no exemption or carry-forward of marks in CSEET (FAQs on the restructured CSEET, Q 11).