NISM Exam 2024-2025: Eligibility, Syllabus, and Exam Pattern (Updated)

The NISM exam is a mandatory exam that must be passed by those who want to work in financial markets. The National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) is a public trust founded in 2006 as an educational organ of SEBI. NISM certifications are of various types available in mutual funds, derivatives, investment advisors, securities market, merchant banking etc. These exams can be taken by anyone above 18 years of age and from any educational background to validate their financial expertise related to security markets.

What is NISM Certification?

The National Institute of Securities Markets offers different types of NISM certifications to those who want to build a career in fields related to financial markets. NISM certifications are available for anyone regardless of their educational and professional background. By completing these certifications, one becomes qualified in different areas of the market.

Table of Contents

• Benefits of Getting NISM Certification
• About NISM exam
  • NISM Certification Eligibility Criteria
• Exam Pattern: Time Duration and Negative Marking
• How to Register for the Nism Exam?
• NISM Syllabus 2025
  • NISM-Series-I: Currency Derivatives
  • NISM-Series-II-A: Registrars to an Issue and Share Transfer Agents - Corporate
  • NISM-Series-ll-B: Registrars to an Issue and Share Transfer Agents - Mutual Fund
  • NISM-Series-IIIA: Securities Intermediaries Compliance (Non-Fund)
  • NISM Series IV: Interest Rates Derivatives Certification 
• NISM Exam Sample Questions
• Marking Scheme of NISM certification exam
• Exam Dates 2024 and 2025 For July, August, September, October, November and January 2025 as well as Exam Centers: Schedule the exam
• Remote Proctored Exam
• Examination Procedure
• Revalidation of Certificate

Benefits of Getting NISM Certifications

Those who complete the NISM certification course will benefit in the following ways:

• NISM certification is mandatory for those who want to work in the financial markets. SEBI requires professionals to pass the relevant NISM certification exam.
• Those who complete NISM certification will gain an in-depth knowledge of a subject which will be helpful in general as well as professionally.
• NISM certification has the most authentic knowledge verified by the SEBI required to succeed in financial markets.
• NISM offers free study material to ensure that candidates do not have to bear financial burden.
• The NISM exam fee is minimal which ensures that most candidates can afford to get a NISM certification.

Explore NISM certificate courses

About NISM Exam

The National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) exam is conducted by security market participants and intermediates that are mandated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India. The School of Certification of Intermediaries develops certification examinations for NISM. The NISM examinations as mandated by SEBI regulations, 2007. These tests are delivered through test administrators across 150 Indian cities. Some of the NISM certification exams are also available via Remote Proctored Mode.

NISM Examination Eligibility

The following points highlight NISM exam qualification:

• Age limit: At least 18 years but no upper limit
• Educational Qualification: Not specified

Exam Pattern

• Time duration: 2 hours. 
• Negative marking: ¼ or 25% of the marks assigned to a question
• No negative marking: NISM-Series-V-A, NISM Series XII, and NISM-Series-V-B certification examination 

How to Register for the Nism Exam?

To register for the NISM Certification exam, candidates need to use Internet Explorer 6.0 to 9.0 version. Those who want to register for the NISM exam need to follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Candidates are required to fill out the Online Registration Form. This form is available on the "NISM Online Certification System". Candidates need to visit https://certifications.nism.ac.in/
2. An account activation link will be sent to the registered email ID by NISM.
3. Once the account is activated, candidates can log in to their NISM certification portal using their registered email ID and password.
4. Now, for enrollment in the NISM certification exam, the candidate will click on "New Enrollment".
5. Select the exam, date & test centre and slot.
6. After this, make an online payment to complete the enrollment process.

Detailed NISM Syllabus 2025

Each NISM course has a different examination syllabus that NISM has elaborately provided on its website. To check the detailed NISM certificate course syllabus, navigate in the following manner.

1. Visit the official NISM website.
2. Click on the ‘Certifications’ link provided in the blue banner.
3. Now, click on ‘Certification Examinations’.
4. Here, all certifications will be listed. Click on the desired certification to view the detailed syllabus of the exam (as shown in the above image). One such syllabus can be viewed on nism.ac.in/curriculum-currency-derivatives.

Detailed Syllabus of NISM-Series-I: Currency Derivatives

Detailed Syllabus of NISM-Series-II-A: Registrars to an Issue and Share Transfer Agents - Corporate

Detailed Syllabus of NISM-Series-ll-B: Registrars to an Issue and Share Transfer Agents - Mutual Fund

Detailed Syllabus of NISM-Series-IIIA: Securities Intermediaries Compliance (Non-Fund)

Detailed Syllabus of NISM Series IV: Interest Rates Derivatives Certification Examination 

Detailed Syllabus of NISM-Series-V-A: Mutual Fund Distributors Certification Examination

Marking Scheme of NISM Exam

NISM Exam Sample Questions

Click Here to check out the NISM exam sample questions

NISM Exam Schedule: NISM Exam Date 2024-2025 and Centers

NISM exams are conducted across 150 cities in the country all around the year. NISM declares the examination dates for the coming three months. Check out the upcoming examination schedule :

• NISM Exam Calendar for July 2024
• NISM Exam Calendar for August 2024
• NISM Exam Calendar for September 2024 
• NISM Exam Calendar for October 2024 
• Exam Calendar for November 2024 
• NISM Exam Calendar for December 2024
• NISM Exam Calender for January 2025

To Schedule and Enrol in NISM Exam: certifications.nism.ac.in/nismaol/

About NISM Remote Proctored Exam

NISM remote proctored exam is an online exam that can be attempted from a location other than the physical test centres. Videos are recorded and snapshots are taken during the live monitoring of the candidate during the NISM examination. This is reviewed later on during the assessment. For taking this mode of NISM exam, candidates require the following:

1. Windows OS-based laptop/ desktop 
2. Stable internet connectivity (minimum bandwidth required: 512 kbps)
3. Webcam and microphone

Note: NISM may stop this facility without any prior notice once deemed fit.

NISM Exam Procedure

In this section, you will learn about the complete NISM certificate exam procedure. 

1. Registration

To sit in the NISM exam, you will have to first register through an online portal. To do so, click on the ‘related links’ tab and click on ‘Register for Certification Exam’. Here, you will have to submit your details including your email id, personal details, PAN, proof of address, contact information, and professional details.

2. Enrolment Process

After you have completed the registration process, you can choose the exam that you wish to take. You can select the testing Centre, exam date, and time slot on the NISM Online Certification System. Fill in the enrolment form and submit it. This completes the enrolment process. Do note that enrolment is only valid for 180 days. 

3. Taking NISM Certification Examination

Choose a certification as per your career choice and requirement. According to the NISM, the following details will be applicable for the year 2022. These include the maximum marks, passing marks, negative marking, fees, and NISM exam duration. 

4. Issuance of NISM Certificate

You will only get a soft copy of the certificate within 15 working days. No hard copy is provided. This certificate is valid for a time period of 3 years. Passing students will get one certificate per NISM exam. Only those students who have provided PAN details will be issued the certificate after the verification of the details by NISM against the Income Tax database. In case, you were unable to submit PAN details during registration, can submit the PAN details by sending a scanned image of your PAN card on the email id provided by NISM on its portal. 

Revalidation of NISM Exam Certificate

You can get your certificate revalidated 12 months before the date of expiry of the NISM certificate. The certificate is revalidated for a period of 3 years. This revalidation process can be done in one of the following two ways.

• Get your certificate revalidated once you successfully complete the CPE programs specified by NISM. 
• Pass the relevant NISM exam before the expiry date of the certificate.

About CPE Programmes

• Format: classroom
• Duration: 1 day (approximately 6 hours)
• Exam: at the end of the day
• Purpose: Revalidation or issuance of a new certificate that is valid for 3 years

About eCPE Programs

• Mode: Online with pre-recorded videos 
• Duration: four sessions each ranging from 2-5 hours
• Completion: Evaluation test and filling up of the feedback form.

Prerequisites for eCPE Programs

1. Webcam and microphone enabled system with at least 8GB of RAM and i3 dual core 2.2 Ghz 5th Generation or equivalent/higher processor.
2. Stable internet connection (minimum speed: 2 Mbps download speed)
3. Browser requirement: Latest Google Chrome (version 80 and above) only after installing Supported browser: HirePro Remote Proctoring Chrome Extension
4. Inaccessible through Browsers (Firefox Mozilla, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer) and mobile phones.

NISM monitors the candidate’s performance during online eCPE sessions using snapshots and/or a microphone.

Conclusion

NISM provides free-of-cost study material within 24 hours of the completion of the enrolment process and fee payment. A hard copy of the study material is available for 250 rupees. You can buy online workbooks from the website of Taxmann Publications Private Ltd. Further, you can prepare for topics that are the part of NISM exam syllabus. 

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