CS Professional · June 2025 · Paper 7.1
CS Professional Arbitration, Mediation and Conciliation June 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) | 5 | Critical clauses in a cross-border technology services contract to prevent disputes | Commercial Transactions |
| 1(b) | 5 | Ad hoc versus institutional arbitration for cross-border disputes | Conceptual Framework of International Commercial Arbitration |
| 1(c) | 5 | Grounds for setting aside an arbitral award and factors guiding the court | Challenge to Award and Appeals |
| 1(d) | 5 | Arbitrator as presiding officer: norms of conduct an arbitrator must follow | Arbitration Procedure, Appointment of an Arbitrator and Other Aspects |
| 1(e) | 5 | General guidelines for drafting an arbitral award | Preparation and Execution of Arbitral Award |
| 2(a) | 5 | Liquidated damages clause: whether actual loss must be proved before compensation | Commercial Transactions |
| 2(b) | 5 | Interim injunction under Section 9 against termination of a determinable contract | Arbitration Procedure, Appointment of an Arbitrator and Other Aspects |
| 2(c) | 5 | Determining seat of arbitration and governing law where the clause is silent | International Law of Arbitration |
| 3(a) | 5 | Scope of court inquiry into existence and validity of arbitration agreement after settlement alleged under duress | Arbitration: Introduction, Agreements and its Institutions |
| 3(b) | 5 | Whether courts can modify or enhance an arbitral award while setting it aside | Challenge to Award and Appeals |
| 3(c) | 5 | Fresh reference of counterclaims struck off for delay and res judicata | Arbitral Proceedings, Pleadings and Evidence |
| 4(a) | 5 | SEBI framework for handling investor complaints against listed companies | Arbitration under Investors' Grievances Redressal Mechanism of Stock Exchanges |
| 4(b) | 5 | Benefits of online dispute resolution portal for securities market grievances | Arbitration under Investors' Grievances Redressal Mechanism of Stock Exchanges |
| 4(c) | 5 | Whether arbitration between two Indian-incorporated companies can be international commercial arbitration | Commercial Transactions |
| 4A(i) | 5 | Arbitrator exceeding jurisdiction by awarding escalation contrary to fixed-rate contract terms | Challenge to Award and Appeals |
| 4A(ii) | 5 | Validity and enforceability of two-tier arbitration clauses with foreign-seated appeal arbitration | International Law of Arbitration |
| 4A(iii) | 5 | Amendment of statement of claim during arbitration and limitation bar on new claims | Arbitral Proceedings, Pleadings and Evidence |
| 5(a) | 5 | Advantages of mediation in settling a family dispute | Mediation: An Introduction and its Process along with Rules |
| 5(b) | 5 | Grounds on which a court may disqualify a mediator | Mediation: An Introduction and its Process along with Rules |
| 5(c) | 5 | Preparation and procedure followed by a mediator, including private sessions | Mediation: An Introduction and its Process along with Rules |
| 6(a) | 5 | Elements of the negotiation process in a large corporate acquisition | Negotiation Skills and Communication |
| 6(b) | 5 | Steps in the negotiation process | Negotiation Skills and Communication |
| 6(c) | 5 | Negotiation techniques and styles for practitioners | Negotiation Skills and Communication |
| 6A(i) | 5 | Enforceability of mediated settlements and of mediator recommendations where no consensus is reached | International and Emerging Aspects under Mediation Law |
| 6A(ii) | 5 | Confidentiality in mediation and its exceptions | Mediation: An Introduction and its Process along with Rules |
| 6A(iii) | 5 | Challenges and benefits of cross-cultural mediation in international negotiations | International and Emerging Aspects under Mediation Law |
What stood out
- Arbitration (Part I) carried 70 marks and mediation, conciliation and negotiation (Part II) 30 marks; Q4 and Q6 each offered a full alternative.
- A 25-mark cross-border technology dispute case in Q1 spanned contract drafting, ad hoc versus institutional arbitration, setting aside grounds, arbitrator conduct and award drafting.
- Most non-case parts were judicial-precedent based problems: 65 of 130 listed marks are practical, covering seat and governing law, multi-tier clauses, court modification of awards and amendment of claims.
- Securities market grievance redressal earned 10 marks, including the online dispute resolution portal, an area candidates often treat as peripheral.
- Conciliation chapters were not tested at all, while mediation process and negotiation skills together took 35 of the listed marks.
Practise the chapters that carried the marks
Mediation: An Introduction and its Process along with Rules, Commercial Transactions, Challenge to Award and Appeals: study guides and practice questions in the CS Professional format.