CS Professional · December 2025 · Paper 2
CS Professional Drafting, Pleadings and Appearances December 2025: paper analysis
Our own analysis of the official paper, as of 12 October 2026. The questions and answers belong to ICSI; read them on ICSI's website.
Chapter-wise marks
Where the marks were in this paper (out of 100; internal-choice alternatives not double counted).
What each question tested
In our words, by question number. Open the official paper for the full question.
| Q | Marks | Tests | Chapter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1(a)(i) | 5 | Appellate forum for challenging a Competition Commission order on abuse of dominance | Appearance before other Regulatory and Quasi-judicial Authorities |
| 1(a)(ii) | 5 | Whether a company secretary can represent a company before the appellate tribunal under a general power of attorney | Art of Advocacy and Appearances |
| 1(a)(iii) | 5 | Drafting a power of attorney clause authorising a company secretary to appear before an appellate authority | Drafting of Agreements, Deeds and Documents |
| 1(b)(i) | 5 | Specific performance of part of a contract under Section 12 of the Specific Relief Act when part is impossible | Laws relating to Drafting and Conveyancing |
| 1(b)(ii) | 5 | Principles and statutory limits courts weigh when granting or refusing specific performance | Laws relating to Drafting and Conveyancing |
| 2(i) | 5 | Essential features of a usufructuary mortgage under Section 58(d) of the Transfer of Property Act | Laws relating to Drafting and Conveyancing |
| 2(ii) | 5 | Mortgagor right of redemption after the period fixed in the mortgage deed has expired | Laws relating to Drafting and Conveyancing |
| 2(iii) | 5 | Whether a usufructuary mortgagee can withhold possession on account of improvements made | Laws relating to Drafting and Conveyancing |
| 3(a) | 5 | Points to be kept in mind while drafting agreements | General Principles of Drafting |
| 3(b) | 5 | Drafting points for a corporate circular with a specimen | Documents under Companies Act, 2013 |
| 3(c) | 5 | Meaning of a show cause notice and drafting a specimen | Appearance before other Regulatory and Quasi-judicial Authorities |
| 4(a) | 5 | CSAS-3 and the process of forming an opinion under it | Art of Opinion Writing |
| 4(b) | 5 | Document management systems for contracts, legal compliance impact and key Indian laws on contract documentation | Commercial Contract Management |
| 4(c) | 5 | Drafting a deed of mortgage by deposit of title deeds | Drafting of Agreements, Deeds and Documents |
| 4A(a) | 5 | Key clauses in a joint venture agreement and their role in avoiding disputes | Drafting of Commercial Contracts |
| 4A(b) | 5 | Preparing a legal opinion under CSAS-3 with emphasis on facts and legal research | Art of Opinion Writing |
| 4A(c) | 5 | Drafting requirements and significance of a debenture trust deed under the Companies Act | Documents under Companies Act, 2013 |
| 5(a)(i) | 5 | Remedy under the Civil Procedure Code to prevent an ex parte interim order: lodging a caveat | Pleadings |
| 5(a)(ii) | 5 | Drafting a caveat petition to protect a company against an anticipated suit | Pleadings |
| 5(b) | 5 | Considerations and precautions in drafting an affidavit-in-evidence in a money recovery suit | Pleadings |
| 6(a) | 5 | Basis of stock exchange fines for breach of minimum board composition under LODR Regulation 17(1) | Adjudications and Appeals under SEBI Laws |
| 6(b) | 5 | Argument that Regulation 17(1) prescribes no timeline for filling a board vacancy | Adjudications and Appeals under SEBI Laws |
| 6(c) | 5 | Contrast between vacancy timelines under LODR Regulation 25(6) and Regulation 17(1) | Adjudications and Appeals under SEBI Laws |
| 6A(a) | 5 | Provisions on appearance by professionals under the Companies Act, 2013 | Art of Advocacy and Appearances |
| 6A(b) | 5 | Procedure for holding an inquiry under the SEBI inquiry and penalty rules of 1995 | Adjudications and Appeals under SEBI Laws |
| 6A(c) | 5 | Meaning and types of resolutions under the Companies Act, 2013 | Documents under Companies Act, 2013 |
What stood out
- Part I leans on conveyancing law applied to facts: specific performance under the Specific Relief Act and usufructuary mortgage rights under the Transfer of Property Act together carry 25 marks (Q1(b) and all of Q2).
- Drafting is tested hands-on in several places: a power of attorney clause, a circular, a show cause notice, a mortgage by deposit of title deeds and a caveat petition.
- Opinion writing under CSAS-3 appears in both Q4 and its alternative Q4A, so it is examinable whichever option a candidate picks.
- Q6 is a SEBI appellate case on stock exchange fines for board composition gaps, comparing LODR Regulations 17(1) and 25(6); its alternative Q6A swings back to theory on appearance, SEBI inquiry rules and resolutions.
- Appearance and representation run through the paper: forum for appeal against a competition order, the right of a company secretary to appear, and appearance provisions under the Companies Act.
Practise the chapters that carried the marks
Laws relating to Drafting and Conveyancing, Adjudications and Appeals under SEBI Laws, Documents under Companies Act, 2013: study guides and practice questions in the CS Professional format.