KEI ASTL PLS Information Booklet 2013.02

Professional Designation in Logistics and

Supply Chain Management (PLS)

by

Information Booklet for 2013 Version 2013.02 effective from 11-Feb-2013

Brought to you in India by:

Developing People for Businesses to Succeed

KnoWerX Education (India) Private Limited

• Career enhancement

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About KnoWerX Since 1992, the founders of KnoWerX Education (India) Private

Limited (KnoWerX) www.knowerx.com have been relentlessly

working with a vision to be a leader in developing people for

businesses to succeed. The mission of KnoWerX is to empower

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through life-long learning.

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assignments.

About AST&L The American Society of

Transportation & Logistics, Inc.

(AST&L) www.astl.org is a not-for-

profit premier professional

organization for transportation and

logistics professionals. Founded in

1946 in the United States of

America by a group of industry

leaders, AST&L strives to promote

and ensure the highest level of

global standards through

professional certification in the

field of transportation and logistics.

AST&L's mission is to promote and

facilitate education and

certification in the fields of

transportation, logistics, and

supply chain management. AST&L's

membership of shippers, carriers,

educators, students, consultants

and third-party logistics individuals

are dedicated to continuing

education and are committed to

raising the professional standards

in the transportation and logistics

industry.

About AST&L Certification AST&L certification is a way to validate your knowledge and experience. AST&L provides transportation and

logistics industry professionals with globally recognized credentials, the PLS (Professional Designation in

Logistics & Supply Chain Management) and CTL (Certification in Transportation and Logistics).

AST&L’s basic certification, the Professional Designation in Logistics & Supply Chain Management (PLS),

is targeted at the professionals seeking a basic understanding of the key strategies for improving

customer service and increasing the efficiency of their logistics and supply chain operations. The level of

certification requires a bachelor’s degree or three (3) years of industry experience. The purpose of PLS is

to recognize individuals who have completed a course of study examining the strategies for improving

logistics and supply chain operations and are seeking to apply this knowledge within their profession. The

PLS consists of one exam and requires recertification within five years. The PLS acts as a waiver toward

the CTL certification.

AST&L’s advanced certification, Certification in Transportation and Logistics (CTL), requires a bachelor’s

degree or three (3) years of industry experience along with passing six (6) of the ten (10) exam modules.

In the ten (10) exam modules, three (3) are required modules and seven (7) are optional modules. The

three required modules are: Transportation Economics and Management, Logistics Management, and,

International Transportation and Logistics. The seven (7) optional modules are: General Management

Principles and Techniques, Lean Logistics, Logistics Analysis, Logistics Finance, Logistics and Supply Chain

Strategy (waiver available for PLS designee), Supply Chain Management, and, Creative Component (a

3,000 to 5,000 word paper).

“I find that PLS has been a very relevant program. It helped me to standardize and organize my experiences

about transportation and logistics. Now I am able to converse about problems and opportunities in transport,

logistics and related stages of supply chain in internationally relevant terminologies.”

– Shashank Tilak, CPIM, CSCP, PLS

(Mr. Shashank Tilak is a B. Tech. from I.I.T. Bombay and G.I.I.I.E. from I.I.I.E. Mumbai. He has more than

three decades of experience in project management, application development, etc. Currently he is a

consultant and a trainer.)

“PLS has helped me to understand the basics of supply chain and open the doors of opportunities in supply

chain field. PLS also helped to me explore more and more in supply chain management.”

– Jitendra Bhawsar, PLS

(Mr. Jitendra Bhawsar is a B. E. from COEP Pune. He has more than 12 years of experience in

manufacturing, supply chain, ERP consultancy and IT (domestic as well as international). Currently he is

working in Wipro Technologies as Associate Consultant.)

“PLS is truly focused on the complete supply chain. The study material is about finance, marketing, logistics,

materials, manufacturing and every business function that can have an impact on the supply chain

performance. Every person in an organisation where SCM is a business driver, will benefit from the

certification.”

– Piyush A. Shah, CPIM, CSCP, PLS

(Prof. Piyush Shah is a B.E. and an M.M.S. from Mumbai University. Currently he is an Associate Professor

in Operations Management with the Durgadevi Saraf Institute, Mumbai. Prior to this, he was Assistant

Professor in S. P. Jain Institute, Mumbai and NMIMS University, Mumbai.)

Logistics will be the key to future growth of industry in India. There was no formal education available in India

for supply chain professionals and PLS is the answer. PLS gives in-depth knowledge about different facets of

logistics and how it is a key link in the supply chain. It gave me an opportunity to further enhance my skills and

make use of the knowledge in improving the supply chain in my company. I recommend this certification to all

the SCM professionals who want to improve their knowledge base and add value to their organizations.

– Pratik Attray, CPIM, PLS

(Mr. Pratik Attray is a B. Tech. from NIT, Jalandhar. Currently he is working as Manager, Supply Chain in

Federal-Mogul India.)

During my post graduation at NITIE, I learned various tools and techniques on Human Effort Engineering,

Systems Efficiency Engineering, and Systems Design, Installation & Improvement Management. Yet for me

there was dearth of more structured, rational approach toward logistics and supply chain management. PLS

course acted like a catalyst to synchronize all tools and techniques I learned in silos. PLS gave me a great sense

of achievement and provides the confidence I need to move forward in the domain of logistics and supply

chain management.

– Prashant Shivsharan, PLS

(Mr. Prashant Shivsharan is a B.E. and P.G.D.I.E. (MBA) from NITIE, Mumbai. Currently he is involved in

managing the demand chain of his organization, Hindustan Motors Ltd., Chennai.)

PLS is really a valuable certification course for all those who want to make career in supply chain because it

really makes you understand the fundamentals of supply chain which is really important in the long run. So I

will suggest all of you should go for this certification.

– Akash Mishra, PLS

(Mr. Akash Mishra is currently pursuing his MBA degree in supply chain as his specialization in the

University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun.)

All policies and procedures in this information booklet are subject to change without notice. 5

Table of Contents

Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management ............................................................. 6

Prerequisites.......................................................................................................................................... 6 PLS Designation ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Recertification ....................................................................................................................................... 6

Exam Requirements ................................................................................................................................... 6 Exam Schedule ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Exam Preparation Method ...................................................................................................................... 9

Exam Registration ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Exam Registration Fee ............................................................................................................................ 9

Fee Structure for Professionals (All Others than Full-Time Students and Faculty ...................................... 9 Fee Structure for Full-Time Students .................................................................................................. 10 Fee Structure for Full-Time Faculty .................................................................................................... 10

Late Registration Fee ............................................................................................................................ 10 Volume Rebate .................................................................................................................................... 11 Important Dates ................................................................................................................................... 11 Exam Centres ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Exam Registration Procedure ................................................................................................................ 11 After You Have Registered .................................................................................................................... 13

Confirmation Notice ......................................................................................................................... 13 Changes ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Cancellations .................................................................................................................................... 13 Medical or Other Emergencies on Exam Day ....................................................................................... 14

On the Day of the Exam ........................................................................................................................ 15 What You Must Bring ........................................................................................................................ 15 What You May Not Bring ................................................................................................................... 16 During the Exam ............................................................................................................................... 16

After the Exam is Over .......................................................................................................................... 16 Pass-Fail Information ........................................................................................................................ 16 Rescore Policy .................................................................................................................................. 17 Retaking Exams ................................................................................................................................ 17 AST&L PLS Certificate ........................................................................................................................ 17

Frequently Asked Questions ..................................................................................................................... 17 Who Should You Contact?..................................................................................................................... 20


Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management Due to an overwhelming request for an entry level industry certification, the American Society of

Transportation and Logistics (AST&L) now offers the Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply

Chain Management (PLS) to professionals seeking an understanding of the key strategies for

improving customer service and increasing the efficiency of their logistics and supply chain

operations. The purpose of the PLS is to recognize individuals that have completed a course of study

examining the strategies for improving logistics and supply chain operations and are seeking to apply

this knowledge within their profession.

You may also want to visit http://www.astl.org and http://www.knowerx.com.

Prerequisites

You must have a bachelor’s degree or three years of professional experience.

PLS Designation

This designation is granted to those who have successfully passed the comprehensive examination.

Either the full expression or the initials may be used after the individual’s name on business cards,

stationery, etc.

Recertification

The PLS designation requires recertification every five years. Requirements for recertification include

attending an industry-related conference, industry-related education program or completing a

module in the AST&L CTL Certification Program.

Exam Requirements Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (PLS) consists of only one

examination. Exam questions are in multiple choice format. There is a four-hour time limit to

complete the exam, although it may be completed in a shorter time period. A score of 70% or higher

is required to pass the exam; a candidate who scores below 70% may take the exam again.

The text book for PLS exam is:

• Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 4th

edition, Martin Christopher, FT Press / Prentice

Hall / Pearson Education, 2011, ISBN 9780273731122, 276 pages.

Other suggested readings include CSCMP definition of logistics

(http://cscmp.org/aboutcscmp/definitions.asp), SCOR Overview (http://www.supply-chain.org), and

a limited number of readings available on the Internet (such as http://www.ascet.com).

The table of contents of the above text book given below reflects the exam content:

About the author v

Preface x

Publisher's acknowledgement xi

Chapter 1 Logistics, the supply chain and competitive strategy 1


Supply chain management is a wider concept than logistics 2

Competitive advantage 4

The supply chain becomes the value chain 9

The mission of logistics management 11

The supply chain and competitive performance 13

The changing competitive environment 15

Chapter 2 Logistics and customer value 27

The marketing and logistics interface 28

Delivering customer value 29

What is customer service? 31

The impact of out-of-stock 33

Customer service and customer retention 34

Market-driven supply chains 38

Defining customer service objectives 42

Setting customer service priorities 46

Setting service standards 50

Chapter 3 Measuring logistics costs and performance 57

Logistics and the bottom line 58

Logistics and shareholder value 62

Logistics cost analysis 66

The concept of total cost analysis 67

Principles of logistics costing 70

Customer profitability analysis 72

Direct product profitability 78

Cost drivers and activity-based costing 80

Chapter 4 Matching supply and demand 83

The lead-time gap 83

Improving the visibility of demand 85

The supply chain fulcrum 87

Forecast for capacity, execute against demand 89

Demand management and planning 89

Collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment 94

Chapter 5 Creating the responsive supply chain 99

Product ‘push’ versus demand ‘pull’ 104

The Japanese philosophy 109

The foundations of agility 112

A routemap to responsiveness 116

Chapter 6 Strategic lead-time management 121

Time-based competition 121

Lead-time concepts 125

Logistics pipeline management 129

Chapter 7 The synchronous supply chain 141

The extended enterprise and the virtual supply chain 142

The role of information the virtual supply chain 144

Laying the foundations for synchronisation 147

‘Quick response’ logistics 150

Production strategies for quick response 153

Logistics systems dynamics 154


Chapter 8 Complexity and the supply chain 159

The sources of supply chain complexity 161

The cost of complexity 165

Product design and supply chain complexity 166

Mastering complexity 167

Chapter 9 Managing the global pipeline 171

The trend towards globalisation in the supply chain 173

Gaining visibility in the global pipeline 178

Organising for global logistics 180

Thinking global, acting local 184

The future of global sourcing 185

Chapter 10 Managing risk in the supply chain 189

Why are supply chains more vulnerable? 190

Understanding the supply chain risk profile 193

Managing supply chain risk 198

Achieving supply chain resilience 206

Chapter 11 The era of network competition 211

The new organizational paradigm 212

Collaboration in the supply chain 214

Managing the supply chain as a network 217

Seven major business transformations 218

The implications for tomorrow’s logistics managers 220

Supply chain orchestration 222

From 3PL to 4PLTM 223

Chapter 12 Overcoming the barriers to supply chain integration 227

Creating the logistics vision 228

The problems with conventional organisations 228

Developing the logistics organization 232

Logistics as the vehicle for change 236

Benchmarking 237

Chapter 13 Creating a sustainable supply chain 241

The triple bottom line 241

Greenhouse gases and the supply chain 243

Reducing the transport-intensity of supply chains 245

Peak oil 247

Beyond the carbon footprint 248

Reduce, reuse, recycle 250

The impact of congestion 252

Chapter 14 The supply chain of the future 257

Emerging mega-trends 258

Shifting centres of gravity 259

The multi-channel revolution 261

Seeking structural flexibility 264

2020 vision 266

Index 269


Please also refer to the Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (PLS)

Study Guide. The PLS Study Guide is available on request from KnoWerX on no charge basis once you

register for the PLS exam.

Exam Schedule

On an exam date, the four-hour exam can be taken in a morning administration. The schedule of

each administration is as follows:

Reporting Time Exam Begins

(Approx.)

Exam Ends

(Approx.)

08:30 a.m. 09:00 a.m. 01:30 p.m.

Exam Preparation Method

Candidates may prepare for the examinations in various ways. Candidates usually prepare

individually by means of home study using text books. Other methods of preparation include group

studies and corporate trainings. Please order a free document titled “How to Prepare for an Exam”

from KnoWerX that may help you decide the strategy suitable to you.

Considering that you have to study materials contained in approx. 276 pages in the text book having

approx. 46 lines per page that is approx. 75% filled and approx. 13 words per line, your study load is

approx. 165,048 words. Considering a hypothetical average learning capacity of approx. 6,000 words

per hour (an adult can read approx. 250 to 350 words per minute of a fiction and non-technical

material), on an average a person may have to spend approx. 28 hours to learn the subject matter in

this text book. The learning capacity, and therefore the time you require to learn the subject matter

in this text book to prepare for this exam, will significantly vary depending on your learning style,

your reading speed, your grasping speed, your familiarity with the subject (e.g., your work

experience in similar field, if you have studied similar subject in the past, etc.), your concentration

level at the time of studying, etc. What you may want to do is to study few sample pages, determine

your learning speed, and then recalculate the approx. time you will need to study this entire text

book. Add additional time for enhanced learning if you want to attend an instructor-led course, have

discussions, solve problems and answer practice questions (not supplied by AST&L/KnoWerX).

Exam Registration

Exam Registration Fee

The following fee is payable in advance before the registration deadline. It is required that the fee

must get deposited in KnoWerX bank account and the transaction must get cleared by the bank

before the registration deadline. A proof of remittance, receipt of cheque/draft by KnoWerX before

a registration deadline, non-transfer of funds timely by bank for whatever reasons, delay by courier,

delay caused by any other reason including but not limited to any delay attributable to

KnoWerX/AST&L, etc. will not be accepted as payment of fee.

Fee Structure for Professionals (All Others than Full-Time Students and Faculty

Professionals (All Others than Full-Time Students and Faculty)

Normal## Retake

Member Non- Corporate Member Non- Corporate


Mem Mem

` ` ` ` ` `

28,360 31,470 34,980 22,210 24,710 27,480

## Prices of imported books change every day and therefore fee amounts are only indicative.

Please check for correct fee amount on day of paying the fee.

All AST&L and APICS members enjoy a discounted fee under the column ‘Mem’. Others pay ‘Non-

Mem’ fee. You must be a member on the date of registration for exam(s) with KnoWerX.

Corporate fee is applicable if the fee is paid by an organization, e.g., a company.

Fee Structure for Full-Time Students

Full-Time Students

Normal Retake

Member

Non-

Mem Member

Non-

Mem

` ` ` `

24,940 27,740 19,990 22,240



Full-time students of recognised universities and institutes pay a discounted fee as compared to the

fee for professionals. A student must produce a letter from the university or institute that he/she is a

full-time student, attending classes full-time, not awaiting results after finishing the course and not

employed. Producing a copy of the university or institute identity card will not be acceptable.

Fee Structure for Full-Time Faculty

Full-Time Faculty

Normal Retake

Member

Non-

Mem Member

Non-

Mem

` ` ` `

22,170 24,660 17,770 19,770



Full-time faculty of recognised universities and institutes pay a discounted fee as compared to the

fee for professionals and students. A faculty must produce a letter from the university or institute

that he/she is a full-time faculty and not employed elsewhere.

Late Registration Fee

After an exam registration deadline but before a late registration deadline, an exam can be

registered by paying an additional late fee of `2,270 per exam.


Volume Rebate

5% volume rebate is offered if 25 or more exam fees are received for the same exam date from the

same organization. The following table shows the rebate amounts:

Professionals (All Others than Full-Time

Students and faculty) Full-Time Students

Normal Retake Normal Retake

Mem

Non-

Mem

Corp-

orate Mem

Non-

Mem

Corp-

orate Mem

Non-

Mem Mem

Non-

Mem

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `

Volume rebate

for 25 or more

exam fees

received for the

same exam

date from the

same

organization

1,390 1,540 1,710 1,110 1,240 1,370 1,250 1,390 1,000 1,110

If an excess fee is received by KnoWerX, please note that due to cost of administrative overheads,

the excess fees paid will be refunded only if the excess amount is above `100.

Important Dates

Exam Date

Corporate

Registration

Deadline

Individual

Registration

Deadline

Late Fee Registration

Deadline

09-Feb-13 14-Dec-12 21-Dec-12 28-Dec-12

11-May-13 15-Mar-13 22-Mar-13 29-Mar-13

03-Aug-13 07-Jun-13 14-Jun-13 21-Jun-13

02-Nov-13 06-Sep-13 13-Sep-13 20-Sep-13

Exam Centres

The Exams can be given in the following cities of India:

Bengaluru Chennai Delhi Hyderabad Kolkata

Mumbai Nagpur Nasik Pune As per need

Exam Registration Procedure

• Fill in the Examination Registration Form (in the prescribed MS-Excel sheet) & send it as an

e-mail attachment to one of the e-mails nearest to your city [email protected] |

[email protected] | [email protected] | [email protected] |



[email protected] | [email protected]. If you do not have the MS-Excel form, send a

request through e-mail. We will e-mail you immediately.

• Use one of the following three methods to make the payment:

o Make the payment by Mumbai or at par cheque / DD payable at Mumbai, favouring

“KnoWerX Education (India) Private Limited” & courier it along with the filled-up

Examination Registration Form. OR

o Deposit the cheque/DD (please do not deposit cash) favouring “KnoWerX Education

(India) Private Limited”, in the bank account mentioned below & send your filled-up

Examination Registration Form by e-mail to one of the e-mails nearest to your city



[email protected] | [email protected] | [email protected]. Please

mention the payment details in your mail (cheque or DD number). OR

o Make the payment by Electronic Fund Transfer from ICICI/HDFC bank to the

respective bank account of KnoWerX. Send the filled-up application form with

transaction details, by e-mail to one of the e-mails nearest to your city



[email protected] | [email protected] | [email protected]. Please

mention the payment details in your mail (transaction number in case of EFT).

• Account Details:

o ICICI:

Account number : 1074 05 000014

Account name : KnoWerX Education India Private Ltd

Account type : Current

Branch : Shop No. 54 and 55, Saraf Choudhary Nagar,

Thakur Complex, Kandivali (East),

Mumbai – 400 101

Branch code : 1074

MICR Code : 400 229 056

IFSC : ICIC0001074

o HDFC:

Account number : 0182 2320 000422

Account name : KnoWerX Education India Private Ltd

Account type : Current

Branch : Thakur Enclave Sankul, 90 Feet Road,

Thakur Complex, Kandivali (East),

Mumbai – 400 101

Branch code : 0182

MICR Code : 400 240 035

IFSC : HDFC0000182

Swift code : HDFCINBB


As we send all communications by courier, while specifying your mailing address in the Examination

Registration Form, please be sure that someone is always there in the daytime to receive courier

documents at that address, and hand-over to you the same day. Please avoid giving the address of a

large organisation, as our experience shows that courier documents may get lost, or reach late, or

handled carelessly. If a document returns back for whatever reason, we will resend it only after

recovering a shipping and handling charges of `100 from you.

If you stay outside India and want us to courier to an address outside India, the courier charges will

be charged extra. We prefer that you give us an address in India for couriering.

After You Have Registered

Confirmation Notice

After your registration has been processed, KnoWerX will provide you with a registration

confirmation. If you have not received your confirmation within two weeks before the scheduled

exam date, contact KnoWerX immediately. Each confirmation lists the candidate’s name, address,

and KnoWerX ID number; the test location; reporting time; and other important information. You

should verify that the information on the confirmation is correct. If any information is not correct,

you should contact KnoWerX immediately.

Changes

To change your exam centre within India, send a written request to KnoWerX no later than 29 days

before the scheduled exam date (no fees is required to be paid).

To reschedule your registration to the next available examination date in India (if the registration

deadline for the next examination date has not already passed), send a written request to KnoWerX

along with a processing fees of `3,400 no later than 29 days before the scheduled exam date. You

may reschedule an exam registration for the next available examination date only once.

The rescheduling and/or change deadlines are as follows:

Exam Date Rescheduling /

Change Deadline

09-Feb-13 11-Jan-13

11-May-13 12-Apr-13

03-Aug-13 05-Jul-13

02-Nov-13 04-Oct-13

Cancellations

To cancel your exam registration, send a written request to KnoWerX no later than 15 days before

the scheduled exam date.

The cancellation deadlines are as follows:

Exam Date Cancellation

Deadline

09-Feb-13 25-Jan-13


11-May-13 26-Apr-13

03-Aug-13 19-Jul-13

02-Nov-13 18-Oct-13

You will be refunded as per the following table. You will receive the cancellation amount after 4 to 6

weeks after the exam date.

Normal Retake

Mem Non-Mem Corporate Mem Non-Mem Corporate

` ` ` ` ` `

Normal

Cancellation

Refund

11,360 12,980 14,770 8,510 9,810 11,250

Medical or Other Emergencies on Exam Day

Only the following documented excuses are acceptable reasons for missing your scheduled exam:

• a serious illness (either yourself or an immediate family member)

• a death in the immediate family (spouse, children, siblings, parents or grandparents only)

• a disabling traffic accident

If you miss an exam for one of the reasons listed above, send a written explanation to KnoWerX

within 10 days following your exam date. One of the following should accompany your written

explanation:

• complete admission and discharge documentation from a large and recognised hospital

including internal case papers, medical records, diagnosis, treatment, hospital bills, medical

bills, pathology testing reports, receipts of all payments made, a certificate from attending

doctor with his/her title, address, telephone number, and registration giving the reason for

your absence and completion of treatment, certificate of absence from work/study from

company/organization/institute/college/school on official letterhead signed by HR

head/Director

• in case of domiciliary treatment, a certificate from attending doctor with his/her title,

address, telephone number, and registration giving the reason why an admission in a

hospital was not deemed necessary, dates of your first and follow-up visits to your treating

doctor, medical records kept by the doctor, receipts of payments made to doctor,

prescriptions, details of medicines given by doctor, bills of medicines purchased, reports of

pathology testing reports, written reason from doctor if pathology tests not done, receipts

of payments made to pathology lab, medical certificate from treating doctor giving the

reason for your absence and completion of treatment, certificate of absence from

work/study from company/organization/institute/college/school on official letterhead

signed by HR head/Director

• a simple certificate from a physician with prescription and medical bills will not be

acceptable. Diseases like cough, cold, mild fever, stomach upset, etc. will not be acceptable

as excuses for absence. Please note that the request will be denied if solid and fool-proof

evidence is not produced to KnoWerX. The decision of KnoWerX will be final.

• the appropriate death certificate, certificate of absence from work/study from


head/Director


• an FIR of an accident lodged with local police, certificate of absence from work/study from


head/Director

The deadlines for submitting complete documentations for medical or other emergencies are as

follows:

Exam Date Medical Emergency

Deadline

09-Feb-13 19-Feb-13

11-May-13 21-May-13

03-Aug-13 13-Aug-13

02-Nov-13 12-Nov-13

You have two choices after you have missed the exam:

• Reschedule your exam to the next exam date. For doing this, you must pay a processing fee

of `9,080 to KnoWerX.

• Cancel your exam and take the refund. You will be refunded as per the following table. You

will receive the cancellation amount after 4 to 6 weeks after the exam date.

Normal Retake

Mem Non-Mem Corporate Mem Non-Mem Corporate

` ` ` ` ` `

Medical or

Other

Emergency

Cancellation

Refund

14,360 15,980 17,770 11,510 12,810 14,250

On the Day of the Exam

What You Must Bring

• A primary identification, which must include a recent photograph and signature, such as a

o Valid driver’s license

o Valid passport

o Valid voter’s identification card

o Valid UID/Aadhaar card

o Valid PAN card

o Valid company identification card

o Recent notarized passport photograph with signature.

If you do not bring these items on exam day, you will be denied admission to the

examination. You will be considered as absent or failing to appear for the exam, and you will

forfeit the full exam fee. There are no exceptions to this policy.

• A secondary identification, which must include your signature, such as a

o Valid credit card


o Valid debit card

• Ballpoint pen with an extra blue/blank ink refill.

• A simple, nonprogrammable calculator.

What You May Not Bring

• You may not bring books or papers of any kind into the exam room. Candidates can use the

exam booklet to do all the necessary calculations.

• Electronic devices, including mobile phones, are not allowed.

• Protractors, compasses, rulers, stencils, digital assistants, and other aids are not permitted.

• You may not eat, drink, or use tobacco during an exam.

• Visitors are not permitted at the test centre.

During the Exam

No breaks are scheduled during any exam. If you must leave the room during an exam, notify the

test centre manager before doing so. Timing will not stop during a break.

The specific rules pertaining to the conduct of the examinations are printed on the front of the

examination book. Read them carefully before answering the first question. Candidates are expected

to exercise honest and ethical behaviour during the exams.

Misconduct: The test centre manager is authorized to dismiss you from a test session for

• creating a disturbance

• giving or receiving help

• using notes, books, wristwatch calculators, digital assistants, or other aids

• using electronic devices, including mobile phones

• attempting to remove scratch paper from the testing room

• attempting to remove test questions (in any format) from the testing room

• failing to follow the test centre manager’s directions.

If you engage in any of these forms of misconduct, your exam will not be scored and your fees will

not be refunded. Furthermore, acts of misconduct may result in

• cancellation of your prior or current exam scores

• revocation of your certification

In addition, because the entire question data bank, each exam form, and all exam materials are

copyrighted and are the legal property of AST&L, legal action will be taken against anyone who

violates the copyright laws by distributing examination content or materials through any form of

reproduction. Oral or written communication during the exam is strictly prohibited.

After the Exam is Over

Pass-Fail Information

You will receive your exam results approximately four to six weeks after the exam date through an e-

mail. If you have not received your results after eight weeks, contact KnoWerX. A score of 70% or

higher is required to pass the exam; a candidate who scores below 70% may take the exam again.


Rescore Policy

The exams are scored using a high quality process that is audited each time. So, there is hardly any

possibility of an error in scoring. However, all candidates have 30 days from the receipt of their score

to challenge their score results. If you would like to request a rescore, please send an email to

KnoWerX requesting for a rescore.

Retaking Exams

If you fail an exam, you must wait 30 days before retaking the same exam.

AST&L PLS Certificate

Candidates who attain AST&L PLS status will receive a personalized certificate approximately six to

eight weeks after receiving the passing score.

Frequently Asked Questions Q: Why should I do AST&L certification?

A: Individuals go through AST&L certification programs for one or more of the reasons listed

below:

o Career enhancement

o Tangible measurement of professional accomplishment

o Learn the language of your customers

o Global recognition

o An opportunity to acquire management qualification

o Demonstrate your understanding of the fundamentals of the profession

o Validate your knowledge

o Validate your experience

o Keep current with changes occurring in the field

o Waiver for AST&L CTL Logistics and Supply Chain Strategy (LSCS) module

Q: What are the benefits to organizations from AST&L certification programs?

A: Some of the benefits to organizations from AST&L certification programs are listed below:

o Create a common understanding, vocabulary, processes, and frameworks within

their entity to address their transportation and logistics challenges and

opportunities

o The proven knowledge and organizational skills to strategically streamline

operations

o The tools to effectively manage global supply chain activities where suppliers, plants,

distributors and customers are located around the world.

o The ability to interact with existing resources and your ERP system to increase the

efficiency of the workplace environment

o Boost productivity, collaboration, and innovation

o The skills to create consistency and foster collaboration through best practices,

common terminology, and corporate-wide communication.

Q: What is the recognition of AST&L certification in India?


A: You can gauge the recognition by looking at the list of companies / institutes in which

individuals are/were working/studying who are doing/have done APICS certification. Since

this is a big list of approx. 75 organizations, please send a request to KnoWerX for a

document titled “List of Organisations – AST&L Candidates” by sending an e-mail to one of

the e-mails nearest to your city [email protected] | [email protected] |



[email protected].

Q: Will I get a job, an increment or a promotion after completing AST&L certification?

A: AST&L certifications help you increase your knowledge, like any other qualification, in

management stream. So, it should lead to a new job, an increment or a promotion but this

cannot be said with certainty as these sway heavily in both positive and negative directions

with changes in demand and supply equation of skilled man-power in the job market. In

general, AST&L certified professionals are preferred over non-certified professionals in the

relevant fields. This should in turn lead to better opportunities for you, compared to others,

in the job market, increments and promotions, in the relevant fields.

Q: For which class of industry the AST&L knowledge is most useful?

A: The AST&L knowledge is useful to many classes of industries, including but not limited to:

o Mining and Quarrying

o Construction

o Manufacturing

o Wholesale Trade

o Retail Trade

o Transportation

o Warehousing

o Express Delivery Services

o Information (Media)

o Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

o Computer Systems Design and Related Services

o Management Consulting Services

o Business Schools

o Computer and Management Training

o Education

o Health Care

o Accommodation and Food Services

o Other Services, including Civic Organizations

Q: What is the difference between APICS and AST&L certification programs?

A: While APICS certification programs are more tilted towards materials management aspects

of supply chain management and operations management, AST&L programs are more tilted

towards logistics and transportation management aspects of the supply chain management.

It is obviously better that an individual demonstrates knowledge of all aspects.

Q: Which certification program is suitable for me – CTL or PLS?

A: PLS is basic certification and CTL is advanced certification. It is recommended to complete

PLS first and then go for CTL. By doing PLS first, you not only get an additional designation,

but you also get waiver for one of the CTL exams.

Q: For which level of management the AST&L knowledge is most useful?


A: The AST&L knowledge is useful at all levels of management starting from junior managers to

presidents. This knowledge helps to manage the transportation and logistics in most

optimum way.

Q: Is AST&L education appropriate for me?

A: AST&L education is appropriate for individuals working in:

o Transportation

o Logistics

o Distribution

o Operations

o Supply chain management

o Procurement

o Materials management

o Purchasing

o Finance and cost accounting

o Manufacturing information systems

Q: In which companies/institutes the individuals are/were working/studying who are

doing/have done AST&L certification?

A: Since this is a big list of more than 100 organizations, please send a request to KnoWerX for

a document titled “List of Organisations – AST&L Candidates” by sending an e-mail to one of

the e-mails nearest to your city [email protected] | [email protected] |



[email protected].

Q: Do I have to be an AST&L member for taking AST&L certification exams?

A: No, you need not be an AST&L member.

Q: Do AST&L members get a discount on the exam registration fees?

A: Yes, both, AST&L and APICS members get a discount on the exam registration fees.

Q: Do APICS members get a discount on the exam registration fees?

A: Yes, both, AST&L and APICS members get a discount on the exam registration fees.

Q: What is the passing rate in AST&L PLS exams in India?

A: The passing rates for AST&L PLS exams in India are:

Year PLS

2010 68.75%

2011 68.75%

2012 78.26%

Q: What is the age profile of AST&L PLS certification candidates in India?

A: As per data from 2010 to 2012:

Age group Percentage

Below 25 years 24.10%

25 or above but below 30 years 40.96%



40 years or above 3.61%


Q: What is the highest academic qualification level of AST&L PLS certification candidates in

India?

A: As per 2011 data, 100.00% have bachelor's degree, 48.78% have master’s degree and 2.44%

have doctorate.

Q: What is the academic background of AST&L PLS certification candidates in India?

A: As per 2011 data, 56.10% are with engineering education, 41.46% are with management

education and rest have science education.

Q: What is the working area of AST&L PLS certification candidates in India?

A: As per 2011 data, approximately 32.73% in logistics/SCM field, 29.10% work in the IT/ERP

consultancy field, 27.27% are students (mostly master's level in management field), 5.45%

work in the sales and marketing field and 1.82% work in other fields.

Q: What is the industry of AST&L PLS candidates in India?

A: As per 2011 data, approximately 50.00% work in the IT industry, 21.95% study in academic

institutions, 15.85% work in the manufacturing industry, 7.32% work in consultancy firms

and rest in other industries.

Q: What percentage of individuals is sponsored by their companies for AST&L PLS?

A: Approximately 24.04% individuals were sponsored by their companies in 2011.

Q: Can I show up at the test site if I did not receive notification that I was registered?

A: No, you must contact KnoWerX first to confirm you are registered. No candidate will be

allowed in the testing centre if he/she is not registered.

Q: Is there any penalty for choosing wrong answers? Is there negative marking?

A: No, there is no penalty for choosing a wrong answer (i.e., there are no negative marks). You

should answer all exam questions. Leave no question unanswered — even if you don’t have

time to read it!

Who Should You Contact?

If you have any question, contact:

KnoWerX Education (India) Private Limited C-1 Avon Plaza-I, Thakur Complex

Kandivali (East)

Mumbai – 400 101

[email protected] (022)425 66 461 [email protected] (022)425 66 462





Developing People for Businesses to Succeed

KnoWerX Education (India) Private Limited C-1 Avon Plaza-I, Thakur Complex,

Kandivali (East), Mumbai – 400 101

Tel: +91(22)425 66 400, Fax: +91(22)425 66 499

Web: http://www.knowerx.com

KEI ASTL PLS Information Booklet 2013.02

Documents

official letterhead signed

account type branch

document titled list

account number account

city bengaluru knowerx

supply chain management

supply chain operations

supply chain strategy