All the professions are facing a tough time, now a days due to pandemic. We need to take few corrective steps to come out of this grave situation. Since 2007, when I was chairman of Ludhiana Chapter, I have been advocating that the CS professionals needs to diversify in other fields also and that was the reason that a “Budget Seminar” in association with DTBA, was held and Sh. Girish Ahuja, renowned chartered accountant, was invited as speaker. It was an effort to create interest of our members, to practice as Direct/ Indirect Tax consultant. Working knowledge of legal matters, Accounts, Tax, Finance, Excise/ GST, Foreign Trade etc. has always helped our professional in getting good jobs. We all are aware that how much is, company law work in a small company. Only, a CS in a group of companies can have so much company law work that he cannot spare time for any other work. Our profession’s image is restricted to that of a company law expert because a very few company secretaries apply or try for jobs in other fields. The day we started searching for jobs in other fields and offering to do company law work as an additional service, I hope there will be no dearth of jobs.
Secondly, our new entrants, who are well versed with information technology must expand their services besides company law. They must look after opportunities in other fields as mentioned above.
Thirdly, to built up an image of all rounder professionals, we need to perform and prove our capabilities to the corporate world. There are many firms which employ C.A. to look after accounting and taxation matters and such C.A.s do not work for long period as they start their own practice. We need to explore this area. Looking for a job, only in corporate world is also creating a hurdle. If we join good and worthy firms as accounting and taxation head, then later on you can get the same converted into company also. Such firms are also good pay masters.
All the members must come forward to have an open discussion on this issue.