Financial planning academy

Chapter 1 Introduction

FINANCIAL PLANNING ACADEMY (FPA):

Financial Planning Academy is an Authorized Education Provider of the Financial Planning

Standards Board, India (FPSBI) for the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM (CFPCM)

professional education program in India.

FPA has been established to initiate an entirely new platform for disseminating Financial

Planning Education to the aspiring individuals who are keen to make a career in Financial

Advisory Services, the most prestigious qualification for professionals in financial services

globally.

The directors and the team of FPA have been in the business for providing Financial

Advisory Services since 1980. As a commitment to share the knowledge on investments with

the aspirants, they have promoted Financial Planning Academy.

Our commitment towards achieving this objective of imparting the "right education to the

right people" would definitely benefit the entire nation in the long run. The main objective of

FPA is to provide easy access to the theory and practice of the financial planning discipline

conforming to international standards through state-of-the-art teaching aids and world-class

study material. Practical classes conducted by highly qualified and experienced faculties

complemented by real life-based case studies achieve this objective. By this we impart world-

class knowledge and experience to students, working executives and professionals interested

in making a career in financial services in India.

Our vision is to nurture the students by showing them the path, to breakthrough the barriers

in the financial industry. FPA would equip the students with all the requisite theoretical and

practical inputs, which would help them in taking informed decisions for their customers,

create wealth for them and protect their families. The academy’s philosophy is to keep pace

with the dynamic changes in the financial industry. After successfully completing the course,

the students of FPA can offer financial counseling and related services pertaining to

investments, insurance, retirement, tax and/or estate planning. A CFPCM from FPA will be a

qualified professional ready to provide and implement financial recommendations.

The faculty of FPA consists of noted and experienced practitioners in the financial planning

industry. Financial Planning Academy is one of the leading authorized Education Providers

for the CFPCM certification program having centers across Mumbai and also having centers

outside Mumbai.

History & Origin

1990

Acquired membership of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

1994

Acquired membership of the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

1995 

Established its Institutional Stock Broking Desk and became members of the Bangalore Stock

Exchange (Bg.SE).

Recorded the highest turnover for any member in Bg.SE.

1997 

Corporatized our BSE Membership from Yogesh R. Gupta to Sykes & Ray Equities (I) Ltd.

1998 

Expanded its presence by creating a large arbitrage desk to exploit the arbitrage opportunities

that existed in the stock markets.

Commenced its offline Intranet trading and expanded its sub-broker network.

1999 

Acquired OTCEI dealership, and a second membership with the BSE.

Became the largest depository participant partners of SHCIL for the year.

2000

Entered the field of derivatives trading, became depository participants of CDSL.

Through its subsidiary Ray Trading Pvt. Ltd., became the Corporate Agents of LIC.

2003

Registered with AMFI.

Established a dedicated Mutual Fund desk which provides tailor-made mutual fund portfolios

to suit clients' risk appetite.

2004 

SRE, through its associate Ray Trading Pvt. Ltd., acquired membership of the Multi

Commodities Exchange (MCX) and the National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange

(NCDEX).

2005

Launched an NRI desk and commenced our first overseas operations in Dubai, U.A.E.

2006 

Launched Financial Planning Academy (FPA). Our directors initiated this venture with a

mission to promote financial literacy amongst the masses.

2007 

SRE Financial Planners, a subsidiary of SRE (I) Ltd., came into existence. It provides high-

end financial solutions, which help clients achieve financial freedom. A team comprising of

highly qualified Certified Financial Planners who delve into the clients' entire financial

history and architect a plan which meets all financial goals.

2008 

Accredited by Dun & Bradstreet as one of India's Leading Equity Broking Houses.

2010 

Inaugurated FPA training centers in multiple locations.

Initiated the FPA franchise model to extend our network of existing SRE business associates.

FPA is the Education Division of SRE – Sykes & Ray Equities, which is a 20 year old

established broking company with 450 sub brokers all across the country. 

FPA is the # 1 Authorized Education Provider of the CFPCM Program in India, having

trained over 2000 students & and an equal number of working professionals over the past 6

years across India.

FACULTY & TRAINING

Every Faculty Member of FPA is a CFPCM Professional.

Our eminent faculty members are either practicing Financial Planners or working in

reputed financial organizations

Industrial Visits which enable students to bridge the gap between theoretical and

practical aspects of Finance.

Guest Lectures by Industry Experts/Professionals not only make our students strong

in their concepts & implementation but also updated with the current trends & market

scenario.

FPA has FULLTIME Faculty Members:

Unlimited Doubt Solving Sessions

Full Time Faculty Support

TRAINING MATERIAL

FPA’s Training Material is AUTHORIZED & APPROVED by FPSBI as the best:

150+ hours of training provided

Complete set of AUTHORIZED books

Updated case study books

Reference books

FC 200V Financial Calculator

MS EXCEL TRAINING

FPA has incorporated MS EXCEL Training within the course itself, as Ms Excel is the

most important tool for professionals in the any industry. With a motive to ensure overall

development, comprehensive training and to bridge the gap between the theoretical and

practical aspects of work life, FPA aims to empower each one of its students in the world of

MS Excel with its dynamic MS Excel Certification Course – EXCELent.

PLACEMENTS

FPA provides:

Guaranteed Internship Programs

100% Placement Assistance to all our students. Some of the leading financial

service organizations like SBI, Religare, Kotak, ICICI, HSBC, HDFC, Karvy,

Anand Rathi etc and practicing financial planners like Ladder 7, Financial Hospital,

Ffreedom Financial Planners, etc are all hiring CFP’s from FPA for various job

profiles with salaries ranging from 2-10 lakhs/year.

Soft skills training,

Resume making

Interview etiquettes.

ONLINE TRAINING & SUPPORT

FPA also provides an online portal called i-Learn which includes:

Topic wise notes & online summary for all modules

Real time mock exams for all modules, with their solutions

Over 5000+ practice questions with their solutions

Complete online support & query solving

BRANCHES

In Mumbai

Churchgate

Dadar

Borivali

Bandra

Thane

Vashi

Outside Mumbai

Pune

Bhopal

Orissa

Udaipur

Cochin

STRONG BACKING BY PARENT COMPANY

Management Team

Mr. Yogesh Gupta, CFP CM :

Yogesh Gupta is the Founder & Chairman of SRE Group, including FPA. He brings with

himself over 2 decades of rich experience in the field of Financial Services. Mr. Gupta has

been passionate about conceptualizing and offering Financial Planning services to the Indian

masses. It is under his leadership & mentorship that, FPA is now recognized as one of the

leading education providers in Mumbai. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL

PLANNERCM (CFPCM) certificant, duly registered with FPSB India.

Mr. Anup Gupta, RFC:

Mr. Anup Gupta is the Founder & Managing Director of SRE Group, including FPA. He

brings with himself over 2 decades of rich experience in the field of Financial Services.

Business Development being his forte, he has been instrumental in the expansion of FPA to

establish a strong foothold in the market. His able guidance, mentorship & vision have helped

shape FPA to be one of the leading education providers in Mumbai. He is a Registered

Financial Consultant (RFC), duly registered with IARFC, USA.

Mr. Ninad Mondkar, CFP CM :

Ninad Mondkar, popularly known among students as "NM Sir" and among peers as "NM" is

the 'Chief Learning Officer (CLO)' of Financial Planning Academy (FPA). He brings with

himself years of experience with a proven track record in training, administration, counseling

& business development. He is known to be a "task master" whose forte is to get things

rolling! Among various other aspects, he primarily takes care of the operational efficiency of

FPA.

He is equally adored & respected as a faculty by his students. He is known for making

complex concepts simple & easy to understand by explaining them through real life examples

that the students can grasp. His sessions are known to be interactive, fun filled & result

oriented.

Apart from his knowledge, "NM" is equally qualified, earning professional qualifications

like, "CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM (CFPCM)" ; "Registered Financial Consultant

(RFC)" & "Certified Personal Financial Advisor (CPFA)" from FPSB India, IARFC USA &

NISM respectively.

In his individual capacity he is the "Public Relations Officer (PRO)" & a member of the

Managing Committee of the "Society of Financial Planners (SOFP)" . He is also a “Local

Chapter Chair" of the International Association of Registered Financial Consultants, India

Mr. Kalpesh Panchal, CFP CM :

Mr. Kalpesh Panchal is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM by profession. He has rich

experience in the field of personal finance services with special expertise in developing

comprehensive Financial Plans. At FPA he is responsible for Knowledge Management and

Training and is also a senior faculty with the academy. He is also engaged in spreading

financial literacy through various seminars and public presentation. He has also authored

several articles for magazines and financial portals.

Mr. Jaishank Gupta, CFP CM :

Mr. Jaishank Gupta is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM Certificant by qualification

and has earned a distinction of being one of the youngest CERTIFIED FINANCIAL

PLANNERCM in the country. As a strategic advisor of Sykes & Ray Financial Planners, he is

responsible for advising the Directors & Business Head on strategic matters pertaining to the

running of the business and guide on financials, marketing strategies, online promotions,

resource management, technology development and standardization.

Mr. Gupta is also designated as the Head of Financial Planning Academy (FPA), a sister

concern of Sykes & Ray Financial Planners where he in-charge of day-to-day running the

institution and expanding FPA’s scope of services and geographical outreach. He has also

been instrumental in knowledge transfer between education and practice leading to mutual

benefits for both the organizations.

Faculty Member

Prof. N.M.Mondkar

Qualification: CFPCM

Current Designation: Principal

Organization: Financial Planning Academy

Experience: Prof. N.M. Mondkar (fondly known among peers, simply as “NM”) has over 6

years of experience in various areas from Business Development, Franchise Acquisition,

Operations, Training and Placements. Currently at FPA, he primarily looks into the Training

& Placement wing.

Name: Vinit Iyer

Qualification: CFPCM

Current Designation: Founder & Training Consultant

Organization: Wealth Creators Financial Services

Experience:A professional with over 10 years of experience in the BFSI domain spanning

over various organizations ranging from Retail Banking, Insurance to Investment

Management. He has a proven track record in working in varied capacities ranging from

Financial Management to Training Consulting. A keen learner, Vinit has experience in

Training Delivery, Content Management and Training consulting with coverage of more than

1000 Learners, on various topics related to Finance. Vinit also doubles up as a Faculty for

training CFP Aspirants and has trained more than 250 participants till date.Vinit has his own

firm which he started in 2008 offering Financial Planning, Portfolio Management & Portfolio

Review services.

Name: Prof. Kalpesh Panchal

Qualification: CFPCM

Current Designation: Sr. Trainer and Knowledge Manager.

Organization: Financial Planning Academy

Experience: Mr. Kalpesh Panchal is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM by

profession. He has rich experience in the field of personal finance services with special

expertise in developing comprehensive Financial Plans. At FPA he is responsible for

Knowledge Management and Training and is also a senior faculty with the academy. He is

also engaged in spreading financial literacy through various seminars and public presentation.

He has also authored several articles for magazines and financial portals.

Name: Steven Fernandes

Qualification: CFPCM

Current Designation: Founder & Chief Planner

Organization: Proficient Financial Planners

Experience: Steven Fernandes is the founder and Chief planner at Proficient Financial

Planners, a fee based financial planning firm based in Thane catering to clients all over

Mumbai. He is a CFP, CPFA, AMFI and IRDA certified along with a certification in Capital

markets (CPCM) from BSE and has spent close to a decade advising clients in the personal

finance space. His case studies and articles feature regularly in newspapers such as Business

Standard, Indian Express, etc. 

Name: Mona Shah Patel 

Qualification: CFPCM, RFC, CPFA

Current Designation: Director

Organization: Akshar Institute of Quality Management, Pune

Experience: A professional with over 15 years of experience in the Accounting, Financial

Services and Financial Planning. She has a proven track record in working in varied

capacities. She is a pioneer to conduct Awareness Programs in Colleges and Management

Institute in Pune. She has experience in Training and ContentManagement with

coverage of more than 500 participants on various topics related to Finance. Having her

own Institute and heading FPA in Pune, she is aFaculty for training CFP Aspirants and

has trained more than 200 participants till date.

Name: Mr. Rupakumar Pradhan

Qualification: M.A. (Eco.), PGDBM, LLB, Licentiate (Life-III), CFPCM

Current Designation: Faculty

Organization: SmartFin School of Finance & Management (in association with FPA,

Mumbai)

Experience: Mr. Rupakumar Pradhan, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM by

profession and practices Financial Planning at SmartFin Wealth Management Pvt. Ltd.

Mr. Pradhan is the Founder and Director of SmartFin Wealth Management Pvt. Ltd, a dream

he had natured all through a powerful 17+ yrs. experience in Financial Services Industry

Companies – Insurance, Stock Broking and Distribution of Financial Services Companies.

Worked with Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, MetLife India Life Insurance, SKP Securities Ltd.

Bajaj Capital Ltd. and Star Health & Allied Insurance Co. Ltd.

Areas of Expertise:

Need Based Financial Planning, Wealth Management, Investments and Strategies, Portfolio

Management, Risk Management, Insurance Planning- Life and Non-Life, Retirement

Planning, Tax Planning, Estate Planning, Cash Flow Management. Various Life Stages

Financial Planning: Home, Education, Marriage, Vacation etc.

Basically believe in the process of Comprehensive Financial Planning Solution to clients

based on their need, profile, income, risk tolerance capacity, age and goals & helping the

client to create, preserve and protect wealth through various financial and risk management

instruments.

Mr. Pradhan is also a Faculty at Financial Planning Academy and is engaged in spreading

financial literacy through various seminars and public presentations.

Regular Columnist with The Dharitri Odiya Daily – “Artha ra Artha” (Every Thursday) and

he regularly authors for other business magazines, business newspapers, financial portals and

journals. Conducted Training Program & Workshop for various Companies & Management

Institutions. Focus -“Truly Honest Client Oriented Practice”.

GROUP OF COMPANIES:

SYKES & RAY EQUITIES (SRE):

If you think SRE is like every other large equity firm, think

again. We are a leader in the financial-services industry, but

we take a personal approach to business, an approach that starts with a face-to-face meeting

between SRE Business Partners and you. We believe that building long-term relationships

with our clients is imperative to serving their needs. Having a major presence across India,

were located within the communities you work and live because that’s the best way to get to

know you and help you reach your financial goals and objectives.

Company Profile

Sykes & Ray Equities promoted passionately by its Chairman - Mr. Yogesh R

Gupta and Managing Director - Mr. Anup R Gupta, has evolved over a period of time. Its

emergence has happened principally due to the inspiring and dynamic leadership of our core

management team.

Since 1990 SRE has undergone a metamorphosis from being a traditional proprietary concern

to a professionally managed company, hiring and retaining meticulous and experienced

personnel. Our group has matured from a handful of dedicated employees in the early 90's to

over 200 till date. 

Moreover SRE is one of the foremost retail stock broking service entities on the country's two

major exchanges. It has strong presence in over 140 locations across India through a network

of business associates and branches. The company has also endeavored to reach out to

Indians across the globe by setting up an independent NRI DESK.

Thus SRE has constantly and consistently strived to grow and better itself without

compromising on the quality of services it provides, a rare quality that clients have come to

expect from SRE.

Business

Equity Commodities & Currencies

Futures & Options Institutional Broking

Financial Planning IPO

Mutual Funds Depository

Debentures & Bonds Insurance

Internet Broking Investment Advisory & NRI Services

PMS Mobile Trading

Education  

The SRE Group

Ray Trading Pvt Ltd.

Sykes & Ray Financial Planners Pvt Ltd.

Financial Planning

Academy

Vision

To nurture the wealth of the retail client while providing adequate knowledge and awareness,

which helps them, meet their life goals through proper management of their personal finance.

Mission

We aspire to evolve to a leading provider of financial services enabling financial freedom for

all our customers.

Business Philosophy

clients' interests always come above ours. 

By following our founding principle, ‘Let’s Grow Together’, we have ensured that our client

is our number one priority. Our experience shows that if we put our client’s needs first, our

own success will follow. This is a personal tenet of our company that all our employees have

to align themselves with.

We are mindful of the quality of our work. 

We have uncompromisingly strived to achieve excellence in all our endeavors. If given a

choice we would always choose to be the best rather than the biggest.

We constantly strive to anticipate the rapidly changing needs of our clients and develop

cutting edge technology to ensure world-class customer service. 

We know that the world of finance is extremely dynamic and that complacency in this

industry is just not acceptable. Therefore we take every measure to ensure that we integrate

modern techniques with our fundamental methodology.

Ethical practices & transparency in all our dealings are at the heart of our business. 

We expect our people to maintain high ethical standards in all dealings with our stake

holders. Our stakeholders not only include our associates and clients but the society and the

government as well.

We believe in research based value investing.

The surest way to outperform the market is to learn from those who have consistently done so

in the past. At SRE we have a dedicated team of fundamental and technical research analysts

whose goal is to constantly strategize and ensure that our client’s investments ride the market.

YOGESH GUPTA- Chairman

Mr. Yogesh Gupta is the founder and director of Sykes & Ray Equities (I) Ltd. He has

obtained his Masters Degree in Economics and is also a Certified Financial

PlannerCM With more than two decades of experience in the Financial Services Industry,

Mr. Gupta has been passionate about conceptualizing and offering financial services to

the Indian Masses.

"SRE has Pioneered corporate retail broking in India. Customer interest has always been our

number one priority. This defines who we are. Now, as to where we are headed, it is

transforming ourselves to professional financial planners, providing holistic goal based

purposeful investments.

Over the years our highly experienced family of financial professionals have delivered

comprehensive financial plans and products. Thus ensuring our customers growth, and

ultimately leading to their financial freedom.

Thus our philosophy... Let's grow together!"

ANUP GUPTA- Managing Director

Mr. Anup Gupta is the Managing Director of Sykes and Ray Equities (I) Ltd (SRE). He

has served on various committees of the BSE and is currently a member of the

Executive Committees of BSE Brokers Forum, ANMI and a member of the Capital

Markets Committee of Indian Merchants Chambers. He has also been instrumental in

the expansion of SRE to establish a strong foothold in the market.

"We have chosen to expand through the franchisee model simply because India is a land of

Entrepreneurs and looking at the nature of the Capital Markets we felt that it is the best way

forward.

We have more than 400 Associates and branches and will grow to over a 1000 in the next 3

years and focus on wealth management.

Our Associates will grow as we empower them with Knowledge and support them with

Technology to become Financial Doctors. 

We conduct regular investor awareness programs across the country in our endeavor to

spread financial literacy.

We shall continue to expand our network of associates and client base with a focus on

nurturing the clients wealth."

Objective of the study:

To analyze the Financial Planning Academy and services offered by them.

What are the competition faced by FPA.

To study about Certified Financial Planning (CFPCM) course.

Research Methodology

The type of research adopted is descriptive in nature and the data collected for this study is

the secondary data i.e. from Website, Newspapers, Magazines and Internet. I have got the

information about CFP and from FPSB India’s website.

The research adopted for Primary data are text books, internet and websites of various big

companies and also websites of FPSBI.

Chapter 2 CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNING (CFPCM)

What is CFPCM Certification Course

Certified Financial Planner CM, CFPCM is the world's most prestigious internationally accepted

financial planning certification administered by FPSB, India.

ACT has been authorized by the Financial Planning Standards Board India (FPSBI) to deliver

the Certified Financial Planning CM Education program.

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM certification is a mark of excellence granted to

individuals who meet the stringent standards of education, examination, experience and

ethics. It is the most prestigious and internationally accepted Financial Planning qualification

recognized and respected by the global financial community. FPSB India is the principal

licensing body that awards CFPCM certification in India through an agreement with FPSB

Limited.

The CFPCM mark is rated as the Gold Standard by the Wall Street Journal & Personal

Financial Planning was voted as the number 1 profession by Job Almanac in America.

It is a profession that is increasingly making its mark in India.

Financial Planning is one of the fastest growing careers across the world. Being one of the

fastest growing economies, India currently has around 5 crore families with investible

surplus. Assuming one financial planner is handling approx. 1,000 clients we need at least

50,000 Certified Financial Planners in India immediately. This is set to grow at a faster rate.

About FPSB, India:

Financial Planning Standards Board  India (FPSBI) is a public – private enterprise and a

professional standards setting body that proactively guides the development and promotion of

standards for financial planning professionals for the benefit of all stakeholders, viz. the

Government, the Regulators, the Industry Associations, the Corporate, the media and   the

general Public.

Levels of Membership by FPSB, India:

2 paths for certification and the eligibility criteria:

Regular path: 

Qualifications: A candidate must be SSC/ Matriculation/ 10th pass at the time of

enrollment and have to pass the examination for AFP Levels.(Note: At the time of

CFPCMcertification a candidate has to be minimum HSC/ 12th pass).

Experience: Either Pre or Post CFPCM certification Exam (3 Years for Graduates & 6

Years for Non-Graduates). Candidates failing the experience criterion within 7 years

of competing examination shall have to retake all exams of CFPCM certification.

Challenge status: 

Qualifications: A candidate must be a CA / Intermediate level, CFA (US), ICWA,

CAIIB, CS, LLB, PhD, M.Phil, PG, Licentiate/Associate/ Fellowship of Life

Insurance, Actuary, FFSI & FLMI from LOMA, Civil Service Examinations by

UPSC.

Experience: Must have completed 3 years of appropriate experience prior to CFPCM

certification Exam (3 Years in Financial Services industry, 5 years for finance related

experience in other industry, self-employed).

Curriculum

Module I   : Introduction to Financial Planning

Module II  : Risk Analysis and Insurance Planning

Module III : Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits

Module IV  : Investment Planning

Module V   : Tax Planning & Estate Planning

Module VI  : Advanced Financial Planning

Charter Members of CFPCM Course

Authorised Education Providers

S.No. Education Partner

1    Abhinandan Institute of Financial Planning(AIFP)

2    ACE School for Professional Studies

3    Altius

4    Ambition Learning Solutions

5    Anagram Knowledge Academy Ltd.

6    Ansal University

7    Arihant Institute Pvt.Ltd

8    BIFM Society for Education and Research

9    FINANCIAL PLANNING ACADEMY (FPA)

10    FINSTITUTE

11    Global School of Financial Planning

12    Growth Avenues Assets Advisors Pvt. Ltd

13    Gurukulonline Learning Solutions

14    I Nurture Education Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

15    IABF-iVentures Academy of Business & Finance

16    IACT Global

17    ICICIdirect Centre for Financial Learning

18    IIFP

19    IIJT –Indian Institute of Job Training

20    Indian School of Business & Finance

21    International College of Financial Planning

22    ITM Institute of Financial Markets

23    Knowise Learning Academy

24    L.J. Center for Professional Studies (LJBS)

25    Mandar Learning Academy Pvt Ltd

26    MT Educare Ltd.

27    NJ Gurukul Pvt. Ltd.

28    Pune Institute Of Business Management

29    RNIS College of Financial Planning

30    Sadhana Centre for Management & Leadership Development (SCMLD)

31    Sambodhi Research & Management Institute

32    Satvik Institute of Advanced Learning

33    SBMJC - Center for Financial Planning & Management

34    Smile Education Pvt. Ltd.

35    Sri Nag Medho International School of Financial Studies

36    Stratagem Financial School

37    The New Era Education Society

38    Trinity Global Education Private Ltd

39    Vantage Institute of Financial Markets

FPSBI (Financial Planning Standards Board India)

Financial Planning Standards Board India is a Public – Private Enterprise and a Professional

Standards Setting body that proactively guides the essionals to benefit and protect the public

in the country. FPSB India closely works with all the stakeholders’ viz. the Government, the

Regulators, the Industries/Associations, the Corporate, the Media and the General Public to

achieve its objectives. It is a Professional Membership & Certification organization-part of

leading Global Confederation established by prominent financial service corporations with

an objective to professionalize the concept of Financial Planning in Indian.

FPSB India is based on voluntary Self Regulatory Mechanism, which is reflected by virtue

of its Code of Ethics & Rules of Professional Conduct, which is mandated for all its

members. The creation of Financial Planning Standards Board India represents commitment

to the emergence of Financial Planning as a respected profession in India and globally, and

will strengthen our ability to educate the public about the Financial Planning process and

about the professionalism of Financial Planners who have committed to competent and

ethical behavior in India. Consistent with development in other countries FPSB India will

attempt to ensure that Financial Planning Certificants in India meet Competency and Ethics

standards which are based on a platform of Education, Examination, Experience and Ethics

requirements (the 4Es). Financial Planning Standards Board India is marks licensing

authority for the CFP marks in India, through an Affiliate Agreement with FPSB Ltd. The

other peer countries are Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia,

France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic

of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, The Netherlands, United

Kingdom and United States.

As a professional voluntary Self-Regulatory Organization, FPSB India promotes and

maintains voluntary standards of professionalism including Education, Examination, work

Experience and Ethics requirements and will continue to co-operate the Government,

Regulators and other agencies to appropriately, effectively and uniformly regulate personal

Financial Planning practitioners. Our stewardship of financial and human resources will be

characterized by fiduciary responsibility. Our members, volunteers and our staff will uphold

the same attributes and principles. FPSB India expects of its own Certificants integrity,

objectivity, competency, fairness, confidentiality, professionalism and diligence in the

performance of our mission.

There is a crying need to establish professional Financial Planning standards, inculcate

financial literacy, and create suitable redressal mechanism for the investors in India, so that

not only they can make responsible use of credit & money but can make informed financial

decision that affect their family and future. Leading personal financial services

establishments all over the world have been concerned about these issues as well: as this not

only impacts the businesses of the corporations but also the credibility of the institutions - as

it is largely a function of the professionalism demonstrated by its associates vis-à-vis their

investors. Globally many leading personal financial services firms are coming together and

attempting to professionalize the business of Financial Planning, and setting standards in the

discipline. Currently in over 24 countries over 200 leading financial firms have joined hands

towards this objective. In India – Financial Planning Standards Board India has been set up

to achieve the same. FPSB India is currently promoted by 50 leading Financial Services

Organizations from the industry.

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM Certification is a mark of excellence granted to

individuals who meet the stringent standards of education, examination, experience and

ethics. It is the most prestigious and internationally accepted Financial Planning qualification

recognized and respected by the global financial community. The CFPCM Certification wins

trust and presents opportunities worldwide. In this era of super specialization, the

Professional Certification - CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM Certification, gears

career aspirants and existing financial intermediaries for giving comprehensive financial

advisory services to individuals and make a satisfying career in the financial services

industry. FPSB India is the principal licensing body that awards CFPCM Certification in India

through an agreement with FPSB Ltd. CFPCM Certification is the highest level of Certification

worldwide in the field of Financial Planning with over 100000 CFPCM Certificants and widely

respected by consumers, professionals & industry. Education is an integral component of the

CFPCM Certification Program and any candidate aspiring to become CFPCM Certificant has to

register himself with any of the FPSB India’s Authorized Education Partners. However,

certain candidates having specified qualifications and work experience have an option of

applying through Challenge Status pathway wherein they can challenge the CFPCM

Certification Education Programme.

4 E Criteria for Initial Certification

CFPCM Certification worldwide is awarded by FPSB Affiliates to competent & qualifying

candidates fulfilling the 4 E Criteria of CFPCM Certification i.e.

Education: A candidate must complete academic coverage of the Financial Planning

curriculum by undergoing the 5 Module CFPCM Certification Education Program through an

Authorized Education Partner and pass corresponding Exam 1-4 facilitated by NSE. However

candidates applying through the Challenge Status Pathway are exempted from the Education

Program considering their higher qualifications & work experience. Education criteria

demonstrate to the public that the candidate has acquired the necessary knowledge to become

a Financial Planner.

Examination: The CFPCM Examination (also called Exam 5 based on Module VI-Advanced

Financial Planning) is designed to assess the candidate’s ability to apply Financial Planning

knowledge to real-life Financial Planning situations. By passing the CFPCM Certification

Examination, the candidate demonstrates to the public that he/she has the required level of

competency to practice Financial Planning.

Experience: The experience requirement qualifies work experience that involves Personal

Financial Planning. Candidates under the Regular Pathway may complete the experience

criteria pre or post appearing Exam 5 however candidates under Challenge Status pathway

need to have attained relevant experience before appearing Exam 5. The Experience criterion

is designed to provide the public with the assurance that the candidate understands the

counseling nature of personal Financial Planning.

Ethics: To get the CFPCM Certification, candidates after meeting Education, Examination &

Experience criteria must agree to abide by FPSB India’s Code of Ethics, Rules of

Professional Conduct, Practice Standards & Disciplinary Rules & Procedures. Careful

adherence to these standards of professional conduct helps turn initial consultations into

trusted, long term consulting relationships with clients and gain public confidence in the

Profession & Certification.

Continuous Education

Once Certified, CFPCM Certificant must fulfill the Continuing Education (CE) requirement to

stay current on Financial Planning strategies, products and trends affecting their clients. CE

plays a vital role in the CFPCM Certificants pursuit of ongoing professional competence. This

demonstrates to the public that the candidate has kept himself /herself abreast of

developments in the Financial Planning field.

Authorization to use CFPCM Marks

A candidate fulfilling the rigorous initial & ongoing CFPCM Certification criteria and after

paying the Annual CFPCM Certification Fees is authorized by FPSB India to use CFPCM,

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM & CFPCM flame logo collectively known as

CFPCM Marks in his/her publishing material and communications. To maintain the legitimacy

of use of CFPCM Marks FPSB India publishes the list of CFPCM Certificants on its Website

Directory. Consumers are advised to cross-check the authenticity of the Financial Planner

claiming to be a CFPCM Certificant by referring to FPSB India website directory.

Chapter 3 Competition to FPA

No doubt FPA (Financial Planning Academy) is number one authorized education provider

for CFP certification course, but it has got some competition from Ambition and ICICI

Direct.

Following we will see the main competitors profile in explanatory term.

Two young entrepreneurs, namely Mr. Kirtan Shah and Mr. Vishal Gada are the men who

laid down the pillars of foundation of “Ambition Learning Solutions” on 1st April 2011. The

duo was part of the board as Executive Directors to set up an independent education division

for a Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) listed Non Banking Finance Company in the past. After

successfully scaling up that venture 6 folds, now they have moved ahead to start afresh.

Background

Ambition Learning Solutions Bridges the gap between Students & Corporate

I. We assist corporate by providing qualified human resources for their operation and

expansion requirement. We train their existing staff to furnish them with the latest updates

and techniques in their respective domains.

II. We equip individuals with the domain knowledge of Financial Planning and Capital

Markets to make them employable.

Our institute is aiming to become the one stop education facilitator for all the professional

financial courses, and getting into full fledge Employability Training for the youth. We at

Ambition Learning Solutions emphasize the relationship between theory and practice in

providing you with the conceptual foundations and practical skills.

We envision being a renowned Institute of excellence for both education and training in

multifarious courses and play a cardinal role in providing world class professionals who are

trained to give unbiased and competent advice to their clients.

Vision 

We envision being a renowned Institute of excellence for both education and training in

multifarious courses and play a cardinal role in providing world-class professionals who are

trained to give unbiased and competent advice to their clients.

Mission 

Ambition Learning Solutions is a preemptive institute, which renders high quality, relevant,

and varied financial courses disseminated by modern pedagogic tools.

The Institute values its role as an educational imparter, embracing change and responding to

the complex needs of those it serves.

Corporate Culture 

If anyone walks in through the door of our company headquartered in “Mumbai” precisely

Andheri you would find the average age of the company ranging from anywhere between 22

years to 25 years. We are a young and dynamic company understanding “ Change is the only

one thing which is permanent”. We believe in Versatility, Flexibility and Multitasking.

Customer Delight and Customer Satisfaction are the core values, which we nurture the most. 

When it comes to culture we follow “Open door policy” We are more of an Entrepreneurial

in nature with Flat Hierarchy and believe that ideas come out of fresh and young minds &

when one is put in his or her comfort zone. Every employee of Ambition Learning Solutions

here knows and understands the responsibilities bestowed upon him or her and dedicatedly

follow the same.

At Ambition Learning Solutions we offer an Industry integrated curriculum directed to make

the student productive on job. We expertise in bridging the gap between theoretical and

practical understanding. Our platform offers a chance to learn under the guidance of eminent

faculties who are industry experts. Professionalism is what we at Ambition strive for and

make sure it is inculcated in each and every student. We lay great stress on the overall

personality development through involvement and engagement of students in various student

clubs (such as the Placements, Research etc.)

The major competitive advantages of our training programs are as below:

Finance Focused Trainings: Taking into account our background from a finance company,

AMBITION LEARNING SOLUTIONS is hardbound to focus on Finance related trainings.

We bring with us immense experience in handing training projects on CERTIFIED

FINANCIAL PLANNERCM (CFPCM), Certified Credit Research AnalystTM (CCRATM),

Chartered Financial Analyst, U.S.A. (C.F.A.), Financial Risk Manager, G.A.R.P. (F.R.M.),

Derivatives, Technical Analysis, Commodities, Forex, Interest Rate Derivatives,

Fundamental Analysis, Finance for Non Finance, Portfolio Management, Financial Modeling,

Investment Banking, Private Equity and Program on Entrepreneurship.

Placement Support: We have tie up’s with consultants and corporate for placement of our

students who successfully complete the program through us.

Interactive Mode of Learning: As the focus is on improving participant’s employable skills,

it is mandatory for trainees to take part in daily group discussions, role-plays and classroom

presentations. Repeat reiteration of all these coupled with the right guidance results in

significant improvement in trainee at the end of the program.

Guest Lectures: We arrange guest lectures at a regular interval by industry profession, which

helps in dual ways. Corporate Managers can identify potential candidates in advance and

trainees understand actual work place situations and environment.

Training Content: Content is developed in house as well as out sourced for specific topics.

We commit to deliver the best content on various subjects of our trainings.

Trainers: All the trainers associated with us are highly qualified with strong practical

understanding in their respective domains. We emphasis on a very interactive learning

experience and stand committed to optimum quality.

CFPCM is the world’s Highest Global Standard and accepted Financial Planning

Certification.

CFPCM certification is recognized in 24 countries.

CFPCM Certification is promoted by top 50 financial companies in India like LIC, ICICI,

HDFC, UTI, RELIANCE, BIRLA, RELIGARE, BARCLAYS, TATA, CITIBANK,

HSBC, AMERICAN EXPRESS, KOTAK, SBI, STANDARD CHARTERED,

DEUTSCHE BANK to name a few.

CFPCM mark is rated as the "Gold Standard" by "Wall Street Journal". Most Prestigious,

Recognized and Respected by the financial community across the Globe.

CFPCM certification course is Industry Specific and Completely Job Oriented. 

Great opportunities in the Financial Services Industry, Short Duration, Low in cost as

compared to other professional degrees.

Rated as "One of the best Jobs" by U.S. News and World Report, 2012

Personal satisfaction of achieving the Financial Planning profession’s highest standard

and met the global benchmark.

Pursuing CFPCM can widen the scope of individual and open opportunities across various

sectors and provide multiple career opportunities 

Insurance

Financial Planning

Accounting & Tax

Wealth Management

Investment Advisory Services

Mutual Funds

Stock Broking

Portfolio Management Services

Various other Financial Services

A CFPCM professional can also free lance & manage finances for his/her friends, relatives

or clients, thus generating an additional earnings stream in the form of commissions,

brokerage, incentives, advisory etc.

The estimated demand of financial planners is around 50,000 CFPCM professionals in

Banking and Financial Services Industry in India. However, till September 2013, India

has only 1794 CFPCM professionals. This makes CFPCM Certification to be amongst one of

the most sought after certifications.

About ICICIdirect Centre for Financial Learning

ICICIdirect Centre for Financial Learning (ICFL), a knowledge initiative of ICICI Securities

Ltd. is one of the leading providers of education on capital markets and financial planning.

Through this initiative more than 1,00,000 students and investors have been trained on

various aspects of stocks market and financial planning. For students & professionals seeking

skill enhancement, ICICIdirect Centre for Financial Learning offers :-

CFPCM Certification Programme : ICFL is now an Authorised Education Partner of

Financial Planning Corporation of India Limited.

Stock Market Pro : Designed by the experts from ICICI Securities Ltd., the course

offers a comprehensive programme on Stock Markets

6 Reasons to learn from us

Practical knowledge

Learn from Industry Experts

Highly researched study material with real market cases and illustrations

Hands-on practice through online simulations

Real-time access to live markets

Online Revision, Examination and Certification

Now we will see how FPA is fighting with them-

FPA (Financial Planning Academy) is the # 1 Authorized Education Provider of

the Financial Planning Standards Board India (FPSB India) for the CERTIFIED

FINANCIAL PLANNERCM (CFPCM) Certification Program.

SEBI Investment Regulation 2013 makes the CFPCM Certification at par with MBA & CA

when it comes to Investment Advisory Services which is a huge boost for this certification.

Kindly go through the link for more information

WHO is a Certified Financial Planner CM?

A Certified Financial Planner determines a client’s/individual’s short term & long

term financial goals

Develops a financial plan to achieve these goals in the desired duration by

bearing minimum risk

Provides strategic advice on the following aspects and reviews the same

periodically: # Investments   # Insurance   # Retirement   # Tax & Estate Planning

The CFPCM Certification is granted to those individuals who have demonstrated technical

competency to create a comprehensive and detailed financial plan (as per international

standards) for an individual.

WHY CFPCM?

GLOBAL RECOGNITION INDUSTRY DEMAND ONE PROFESSIONAL

& EASE OF PURSUING QUALIFICATION, MULTIPLE CAREER OPTIONS

1. CFPCM Certification is the Highest professional qualification in the field of Personal Finance2. The CFPCM program is internationally recognized across 24 countries, as the most prestigious qualification3. CFPCM Certification mark is rated as the “Gold standard" by "Wall street journal".4. CFPCM is rated as HOT JOBS by CNBC5. Financial Planning has been rated as the number one career by JOBS ALMANAC, USA

India has a requirement of over 3, 00,000 CFP’s against only 3,000 currently.Companies that have made it mandatory for their employees to pursue CFP:Kotak Mahindra BankState Bank Of IndiaReliance MFReligare SecuritiesIndia InfolineAnand RathiAnd Many More…DURATION & FLEXIBILITY:Shortest Duration Professional ProgramCan be completed within 6-8 monthsMultiple Choice Examination PatternFlexible Exam Dates

CFPCM Certificants have the opportunity to enter and shape their careers in, a variety of Financial Sectors like:BankingAsset ManagementLife & General Insurance Stock BrokingMutual FundsWealth ManagementPortfolio ManagementInvestment AdvisoryFinancial PlanningOther Financial ServicesCFPCM Certification is promoted by top 50 financial companies in India like , BARCLAYS, TATA, CITIBANK, HSBC, AMERICAN EXPRESS, LIC, ICICI, HDFC, UTI, BIRLA, STANDARD CHARTERED, DEUTSCHE BANK to name a few.

Why we choose FPA

WHY FPA? DELIVERABLES

STRONG BACKING BY PARENT COMPANY

FPA is the Education Division of SRE – Sykes & Ray Equities, which is a 20 year old established broking company with 450 sub brokers all across the country.FPA is the # 1 Authorized Education Providerof the CFPCM Program in India, having trained over 1000 students & and an equal number of working professionals over the past 6 years across India.

FACULTY & TRAINING

Every Faculty Member of FPA is a CFPCM Professional.Our eminent faculty members are either practicing Financial Planners or working in reputed financial organizationsIndustrial Visits which enable students to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical aspects of Finance.Guest Lectures by Industry Experts/Professionals not only make our students strong in their concepts & implementation but also updated with the current trends & market scenario.FPA has 2 FULLTIME Faculty Members:

Unlimited Doubt Solving SessionsFull Time Faculty Support

TRAINING MATERIAL

FPA’s Training Material is AUTHORIZED & APPROVED by FPSBI as the best:150+ hours of training providedComplete set of AUTHORIZED booksUpdated case study booksReference booksFC 200V Financial Calculator

MS EXCEL TRAINING

FPA has incorporated MS EXCEL Training within the course itself, asMs Excel is the most important tool for professionals in the any industry. With a motive to ensure overall development, comprehensive training and to bridge the gap between the theoretical and practical aspects of work life, FPA aims to empower each one of its students in the world of MS Excel with its dynamic MS Excel Certification Course – EXCELent.

PLACEMENTS

FPA provides:Guaranteed Internship Programs100% Placement Assistance to all our students. Some of the leading financial service organizations like SBI, Religare, Kotak, ICICI, HSBC, HDFC, Karvy, Anand Rathi etc and practicing financial planners like Ladder 7, Financial Hospital, Ffreedom Financial Planners, etc are all hiring CFP’s from FPA for various job profileswith salaries ranging from 2-10 lakhs/year.Soft skills training,Resume makingInterview etiquettes.

ONLINE TRAINING & SUPPORT

FPA also provides an online portal called i-Learn which includes:Topic wise notes & online summary for all modulesReal time mock exams for all modules, with their solutionsOver 5000+ practice questions with their solutionsComplete online support & query solving

LOCATION

ChurchgateDadarBandraBorivaliThaneVashiWe also have branches at Pune, Bhubhneshwar, Bhopal, Udaipur, Cochin

Chapter 4 Conclusion

With the growing trend that we are having in business and finance, the demand for an

effective financial advisor or expert has been slowly becoming an increasing necessity. Now,

there is a better way to help you be more experienced when it comes to providing financial

consultation and advice for those people who are having problems concerning their finance

and money.

FPA Institute has produced thousands of successful advisors and consultants in India who

have been of great significant help to people who have been in need of their service.

Because FPA understands the need of its students, it offers an extensive learning program

that incorporates the versatility and flexibility of their training module to the specific needs of

the students. It continually seeks to provide the needed assistance that their learning financial

advisors need. This institution sets itself apart from the rest as it provides a unique and a far

better platform to provide Financial Planning Education for students and or professionals who

would like to make a career out of being a Certified Financial Planner.

Recommendation

More videos should be uploaded by FPA on its online learning platform, so that more

professionals, housewives and students would be able to go through the content at their

leisure time.

More awareness of CFP course as there is the requirement of 300000 but actually only 3000

working as a professional.

FPSB India should not make there rules more flexible, as it gives a negative impression

among the public.

Strong focus on placements should be kept as all students persue the programme with that

objective in mind.

Bibliography.

http://fpa.edu.in/

http://www.fpsbindia.org/Scripts/Home.aspx

http://www.cfp.net/

http://www.ambitionlearning.com/cfpcm.php

http://content.icicidirect.com/Idcampaign/cfp/CertifiedFinancialPlanner.asp