NSE Certification Examination – The Definite Guide

NSE (National Stock Exchange) is the first stock exchange of India which was established in the year 1928 by the Government of India. It is one of the largest trading exchanges in India. Its main functions are to buy and sell shares and bonds of Government securities, corporate shares and bonds. NSE is an ideal place to start your stock market career. If you have a fair knowledge of the stock market, can apply some business sense then NSE is the best place for you.

There are various certification examinations for the financial sector. The NSE (National Stock Exchange of India) is one of them. The NSE provides training courses for those interested in becoming qualified to trade on the exchange. An NSE Certification is the high point of an NSE trainee’s career. After passing the examination, an NSE trainee can work in any trading desk of the exchange. Clients of NSE trading desks will be able to trade on the NSE using the NSE Code.

Before going for the NSE exams, you should have a clear idea of what you want to do with the certification. Candidates with the idea of working in brokerage divisions can go for the Associate Level: however, those who want to pursue careers in the stock trading industry can go for Level 1 or 2. After clearing the exams, you can find out the kinds of jobs that are available in the stock way (trading, research, and market information).

A complete guide to NSE certification exams (updated): I did the NSE certification first time in 2009 and passed everything on the first attempt. I am certified in several modules, including fundamental analysis.

Over time, I have received several emails over the past two months asking the same question:

• How to get an NSE certificate,
• Does an NSE certificate help to get a job in the Indian stock market sector,
• Is an NSE certificate useful,
• How much does it cost to get an NSE certificate, etc.?

So in this post, I want to explain to you how to pass the NSE certification exam. And most importantly, how to learn this exam and get certified on the first attempt.

To be honest, it is quite easy to get NSE certification if you have enough knowledge in this field. But even if you are a beginner, you can easily pass the exam if you are willing to invest time and effort. Get certified!!!

What is the NSE Academy of Financial Markets (NCFM) certification?

The NSE Academy Certification in Financial Markets or NCFM is an online testing and certification program that assesses the knowledge and practical skills needed to work in the financial markets. The NCFM programme is conducted on the NSE Intranet and is held at designated examination centres across India. (Source: NSE India)

In a nutshell, the NCFM is an online testing and certification program that provides employees in the financial industry with a higher level of proficiency.

The NCFM offers different modules for different roles. For example, if you are interested in technical analysis, you can try to follow the NCFM technical analysis certification module.

Can the NSE certification add value to your career?

To be fair, there is no formal education given to students in schools/colleges regarding investing or the scholarship. Therefore, taking the NSE certification exam can help you improve your theoretical and practical knowledge.

Even if you are not a finance/trade professional and want to work in the stock market industry, this certification will definitely be useful for you. This gives your profile an advantage over a candidate with the same qualifications but no certificate. In summary, the NSE certification can be useful for students/professionals who want to pursue a career in this field

What modules does the NCFM offer?

First, I would like to point out that the NCFM offers dozens of modules (see below). And of course, it’s out of the question to give a gift all at once. Register for the certification exam in the roles/areas that interest you. (There is little point in taking the investment banking exam if you are only interested in equity research).

The NSE Academy currently offers different modules for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels. Each module is designed to provide specific expertise relevant to field personnel. Here you will find a brief overview of the various modules offered by the NSE:

1. Basic modules

2. Intermediate modules

3. Advanced modules

4. NCFM professional licence

The NCFM professional certification is a combination of exams leading to a specific certification. To receive the certificate, all modules (according to the provisional programme) must be completed. Below is a list of the various qualification certificates currently offered by the NCFM:

(Photo source: National Stock Exchange of India Ltd.)

5. Additional certificates/examinations

ESN also offers additional recorded and in-person courses. In addition, full-time postgraduate courses and weekend/postgraduate groups are offered. For example,

• Sri Sri University and NSE Academy, in collaboration, offer a Post Graduate Programme in Financial Markets (PGDFM) in Odisha.
• Bengal Institute of Business Studies and NSE Academy are collaborating to offer a Post Graduate Programme in Financial Markets (PGPFM) in Kolkata.
• IMS Proschool, the official training provider of the CFA Institute and the NSE Academy, offers a 10-month postgraduate programme (part-time/full-time) in investment banking and capital markets that will turn you into a finance professional.

For more information on these NSE courses and exams, click here.

Details of NSEcertification exam

Adequacy with NCFM

There are no specific requirements for taking the NSE certification exam. This means that there are no specific eligibility requirements or age restrictions for taking the test.

Exam details – number of questions, exams taken, etc.

Here is some general information about the certification exams:

• The questions are in the form of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). This means that for each question you are given 4 or 5 choices and must choose the correct answer.
• Most certification exams last 120 minutes and contain 60 or 70 questions.
• The maximum score for the exam is 100 points, and the pass rate is 60-70%. (The passing grade depends on the module you are taking).
• In several modules, the questions have negative values. This means that for each wrong answer a certain number of points are deducted from the total score.
• After you pass the exam, you can print the certificates immediately as they will be available online in your portal. However, the paper certificate will be delivered to you by mail, which can take 15 to 20 days (depending on your address).
• Generally, the rate for most modules is Rs 1700 + GST. However, for some advanced modules the cost is higher.

Examination centres in India

You must take the NSE certification exams at designated testing centres. There are exam centres for NSE or NCFM certification in almost every major city in India. For example Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Patna, Raipur, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Lucknow, etc.  A list of available centres can be found here.

How do I register for the NSE certification exam?

Below is a step-by-step guide to registering for the NSE certification exams.

• You must first visit this link to see the available modules, their cost and the course content. Select the modules you are interested in.
• If you want to take the model/free test, you can try it here.
• Once you have chosen the module and the examination centre, you must pay the registration fee and register.
• To register for the exam, you must create an account on the NCFM portal. Here is the link to the registration page. Registering on the NCFM portal is very simple. All you have to do is fill in your details (personal information, address, qualifications, pan card, etc.) and submit the form.
• Once you have opened an account, you can pay for the module (you are interested in) and reserve the date and center of the exam.
• Finally, you will also receive by email the course material (e-book) you need to study and an access card for the exam.
• Prepare well for the exam and good luck!!!

That’s it. This is the exact process required to register for the NSE certification exam.

Some additional tips for participants in the NSEcertification

1. Allow at least 2 weeks for preparation: The intermediate and advanced modules require a minimum stay of 2 weeks. For the basic modules (beginners) this preparation time can be shorter. However, to be on the safe side, you should review the course material/book at least once before taking the exam.
2. Avoid wrong answers – most modules will receive a negative score. And don’t forget it: Your final grades will be printed on your transcript. Don’t bet on MCQ questions you don’t know.
3. Stay calm and enjoy the dough: The last thing you want to do is panic. You can make several attempts to pass the certification exam. If you didn’t prepare well or didn’t pass the exam, try again. This is not the end of your career.

Also read: 6 best sites to learn virtual stock trading in India (without risking your money).

Bonus: Additional certification courses

Besides NCFM, there are several other popular websites where you can register for certified courses –

Also read: NISM certification – a complete guide for beginners

Final thoughts

The NSE certification will strengthen your resume and broaden your knowledge. If you are looking for a career in the stock market/financial sector, this certificate will definitely give you an edge.

Anyway, even if you don’t plan to pursue a career, you can take this test for fun or test your knowledge. NSE certification exam is very affordable compared to most financial exams like CFA, CFP or other financial courses on EDX, Coursera, etc.

However, even after certification, you still need to put in a lot of effort and lifelong learning to become a successful investor/trader. In short, certification doesn’t help you much with investing or trading in real-time. But your knowledge and experience help us!

That’s it. I tried to cover most of the points. If I missed anything or you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below. I’d like to help you. Cheers! !!

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