NISM-SERIES-X-A
Investment Adviser ( Level 1 )

Curriculum (Investment Adviser Level 1)

I. Introduction to Indian Financial Market         

1. Understand the macro-economic parameters of Indian Economy
2. Understand the features of Indian Financial Markets
3. Know the structure of Indian Financial Markets
4. Understand the role of the participants in the Indian Financial Markets
5. Know the role of various Regulators regulating Indian Financial Markets (In brief)

II. Securities Market Segments

1. Understand the nature, functions and types of issues in Primary Markets
2. Know the role and function of Secondary Market
3. Understand the various types of various Corporate Actions

III. Mutual Funds  

1. Understand the meaning and features of a mutual fund
2. Know the key terms and concepts associated with mutual funds
3. Know the regulatory framework for mutual funds
4. Know the various types of mutual fund products
5. Understand the taxation of Mutual Fund Products
6. Know the investment options in mutual funds
7. Know the processes associated with investing in mutual funds
8. Understand the uses and processes of conducting systematic transactions
9. List the benefits of investing with mutual funds

IV. Investment Products

1. Understand the various types of small savings instruments
2. Understand the various types of fixed income / debt instruments
3. Know the various types of alternate investments
4. Know the concept of direct equity as an investment option

V. Managing Investment Risk

1. Know the concept of Risk
2. Know the Common Types of Risk
3. Understand the ways of measuring risk

VI. Measuring Investment Returns

1. Understand the concept of return
2. Understand the various return concepts
3. Understand the concept of compounding
4. Know the computation of Real rate of return vs. nominal return
5. Know the computation of Tax adjusted return
6. Understand the concept of Risk-adjusted Returns

VII. Concept of Financial Planning

1. Understand what constitutes financial planning
2. Know the need for financial advisory services
3. Understand the scope of financial advisory services
4. Understand the business model for the Delivery of financial advice to client
5. Understand assets, liabilities and net worth
6. Understand the preparation of budget
7. Know the financial planning delivery process

VIII. Asset allocation and Investment Strategies

1. Know the various Asset classes
2. Learn about Portfolio construction
3. Understand the concept of Practical asset allocation and Re balancing Strategies
4. Know the need for portfolio monitoring and re-balancing

IX. Insurance Planning

1. Understand the need for insurance in personal finance
2. List the requirements for a risk to be insurable
3. Understand the role of insurance in personal finance.
4. Know the various steps involved in Insurance Planning
5. Know the types of Insurance Products
6. Understand about the Life Insurance Products
7. Understand about the Non-Life Insurance Products
8. Understand the life insurance needs analysis (Human life approach, Needs approach)

X. Retirement Planning

1. Understand the retirement planning process
2. Understand and estimate retirement corpus
3. Determine the retirement corpus
4. Learn about the various retirement products and their features

XI. Tax and Estate Planning

1. Understand Income tax principles
2. Understand Tax aspects of Investment products
3. Learn about the Wealth Tax Act and its implication for clients
4. Know about Estate Planning

XII. Regulatory Environment and Ethical Issues

1. Understand the provisions of the SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations, 2013
2. Understand the overall framework of the regulatory system
3. Learn about the roles of regulators: MoF, MCA, SEBI, RBI, IRDA, PFRDA
4. Understand the role of Self regulatory organizations
5. Understand the provisions of PMLA, 2002
6. Know the codes of conduct by SEBI, AMFI, etc
7. Know the ethical issues in providing financial advice
8. Understand investor complaint redressal mechanism