Sebi โOpens Doors to Wider Pool of Investmentโข Professionals, Loosens Educationโค Requirements
Mumbai, November 26, โข2025 – In a move to broaden โขthe talent base within the financial advisory sector, โthe Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi)โ has โคsignificantly relaxed the educational qualifications required โขfor individuals seeking registration as Investment โฃAdvisers (IAs) and Researchโ Analysts (RAs). The revised rules, announced Tuesday, โnow allow โgraduatesโ from any discipline to apply, a departure from the previous requirement of degrees specifically inโ finance-related โคfields.
Previously,aspiring IAs andโข RAs needed a graduate or postgraduate degree in areas like finance,Business Management,Commerce,Economics,or Capital Markets. Under โขthe new framework,individuals with โคdegrees in fields suchโค as law and engineering are now eligible.โ
Though, Sebi emphasized โthat demonstrating competency remains โขcrucial. Passingโข the National Institute of Securities Marketsโ (NISM) certification exam will continue to be mandatory for all applicants. This ensures a baseline โขlevel of domain โฃknowledge and professional preparedness, according to Sebi’s notifications.
The updated eligibility criteria now stipulate applicantsโ must possess “a graduate โคdegree or โคany equivalent โขeducational qualification from a university or institution recognized by the Central Government or any state โGovernment orโ a recognised โคforeignโข university or institution or association โฃor CFA Charter from the CFAโ Institute and relevant certification from NISM or from any other organisation โor institution accreditedโฃ by NISM.”
In a separate move,Sebi also โeased the process forโ individual IAs transitioning to aโฃ corporate structure. Advisers exceeding 300 clients or generating Rs 3 crore โฃin feesโข are now required to notify Sebi and begin the transition process, with six months total – three monthsโข for in-principle approval and another three to completeโ theโ conversion. Previously, theโข entire transition was mandated within just three monthsโค of reachingโ the threshold. During โthe transition period, IAs โcan continueโข onboarding newโ clients โขand collecting fees.
These changes, implemented through amendments to the norms for investment advisers and research analysts, aim to foster growth and โขaccessibilityโ within the โfinancialโ advisory landscape, while maintaining investor protection through continued emphasis on professional certification.