1. 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 worldclass knowledge and experience to students, working executives and professionals interested
in making a career in financial services in India.
1

2. 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.
2

3. 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.
3

4. 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 highend 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.
4

5. 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:


Complete set of AUTHORIZED books

Updated case study books

Reference books

5
150+ hours of training provided
FC 200V Financial Calculator

6. 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.


Resume making

6
Soft skills training,
Interview etiquettes.

7. 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
7

8. STRONG BACKING BY PARENT COMPANY
Management Team
Mr. Yogesh Gupta, CFPCM:
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, CFPCM:
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
8

9. 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, CFPCM:
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, CFPCM:
Mr. Jaishank Gupta is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERCM Certificant by qualification
9

10. 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
10

11. 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
11

12. 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.
12

13. 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.
13

14. 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,
14

15. 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


Commodities & Currencies

15
Equity
Futures & Options

Institutional Broking

16. 
Financial Planning

IPO

Mutual Funds

Depository

Debentures & Bonds

Insurance

Internet Broking

Investment Advisory & NRI Services

PMS

Mobile Trading

Education

Sykes & Ray Financial Planners Pvt Ltd.
The SRE Group


Ray Trading 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.
16

17. 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.
17

18. 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.
18

19. "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.
19

20. 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
20

21. 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.
21

22. 
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 II : Risk Analysis and Insurance Planning

Module III : Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits

Module IV : Investment Planning

Module V : Tax Planning & Estate Planning

22
Module I : Introduction to Financial Planning
Module VI : Advanced Financial Planning

23. Charter Members of CFPCM Course
Authorised Education Providers
S.No.
Education Partner
1
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
23
Abhinandan Institute of Financial Planning(AIFP)
BIFM Society for Education and Research

24. 9
FINANCIAL PLANNING ACADEMY (FPA)
10
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
24
FINSTITUTE
Sadhana Centre for Management & Leadership Development (SCMLD)

25. 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
25

26. 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,
26

27. 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.
27

28. 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
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29. 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
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30. 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.
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31. 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
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32. 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
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33. 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
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34. 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.
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35. 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.
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36. 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


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

36
Practical knowledge
Online Revision, Examination and Certification

37. Now we will see how FPA is fighting with themFPA (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.
37

38. WHY CFPCM?
GLOBAL RECOGNITION
INDUSTRY DEMAND
& EASE OF PURSUING
ONE PROFESSIONAL
QUALIFICATION, MULTIPLE
CAREER OPTIONS
1. CFPCM Certification is the
Highest professional
qualification in the field of
Personal Finance
2. The CFPCM program is
internationally
recognized across 24
countries, as the
most prestigious
qualification
3. CFPCM Certification mark is
rated as the “Gold
standard" by "Wall street
journal".
4. CFPCM is rated as HOT
JOBS by CNBC
5. 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 Bank
State Bank Of India
Reliance MF
Religare Securities
India Infoline
Anand Rathi
And Many More…
DURATION & FLEXIBILITY:
Shortest Duration Professional
Program
Can be completed within 6-8
months
Multiple Choice Examination
Pattern
Flexible Exam Dates
CFPCM Certificants have the
opportunity to enter and shape
their careers in, a variety of
Financial Sectors like:
Banking
Asset Management
Life & General Insurance
Stock Broking
Mutual Funds
Wealth Management
Portfolio Management
Investment Advisory
Financial Planning
Other Financial Services
CFPCM 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
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
STRONG BACKING BY country.
PARENT COMPANY
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 &
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Every Faculty Member of FPA is a CFPCM Professional.

39. TRAINING
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 2 FULLTIME Faculty Members:
Unlimited Doubt Solving Sessions
Full Time Faculty Support
TRAINING MATERIAL
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 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 profileswith 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
LOCATION
39
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
Churchgate
Dadar
Bandra
Borivali
Thane
Vashi
We also have branches at Pune, Bhubhneshwar, Bhopal, Udaipur, Cochin

40. 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.
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41. 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
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