100+ Free CS Professional — Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CS Professional — Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances Exam

100

Marks in the Paper

ICSI Professional Programme Syllabus

3 hrs

Exam Duration

ICSI Examination Pattern

Paper 2

Group 1 Position

ICSI New Syllabus 2022

40%

Minimum Pass Mark

ICSI Examination Rules

Descriptive

Real Exam Format

ICSI Examination Pattern

ICSI CS Professional Paper 2, Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances, is a three-hour, 100-mark offline descriptive paper under the new syllabus 2022. It covers general principles of drafting and conveyancing; agreements, deeds and documents; civil and criminal pleadings; petitions, applications and appeals before NCLT, NCLAT, SAT and the High Courts; affidavits and powers of attorney; appearances and the art of advocacy; e-filing; compounding of offences under the Companies Act, SEBI Act and FEMA; and representation before SEBI, RBI and the Competition Commission of India. Passing requires 40% in the paper and 50% aggregate in the group. This free bank offers 100 MCQs as knowledge prep for the same syllabus.

Sample CS Professional — Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CS Professional — Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In the context of legal drafting, what is 'conveyancing'?

A.The art of drafting documents that transfer or create rights in property

B.The oral argument of a case before a tribunal

C.The filing of statutory returns with the Registrar of Companies

D.The cross-examination of witnesses in a civil suit

Explanation: Conveyancing is the specialised branch of drafting concerned with documents that transfer, create, or extinguish rights and interests in property, such as sale deeds, leases, and mortgages. Drafting is the broader art; conveyancing is its property-document subset.

2Which part of a deed contains the introductory narration of facts and background leading to the transaction?

A.The testimonium

B.The reddendum

C.The habendum

D.The recitals

Explanation: Recitals form the explanatory or narrative portion of a deed, set out after the parties, describing the history and the reason for executing the document. They are of two kinds: narrative recitals (facts) and introductory recitals (the immediate purpose).

3The clause 'IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have set their hands...' at the end of a deed is known as the:

A.Operative part

B.Habendum

C.Testimonium clause

D.Consideration clause

Explanation: The testimonium clause is the concluding clause that records that the parties have signed the deed in witness of its contents. It typically begins 'In witness whereof' and immediately precedes the signatures and attestation.

4Which of the following is a fundamental rule of good drafting?

A.Use long, complex sentences to appear thorough

B.Avoid definitions to keep the document short

C.Use the same word consistently for the same idea throughout

D.Prefer ambiguity so the document can be read flexibly later

Explanation: A core canon of drafting is consistency: the same word should always carry the same meaning, and different words should not be used for the same concept. This reduces ambiguity and the risk of misinterpretation.

5Under the Indian Stamp Act, an instrument that is not duly stamped is generally:

A.Void from the beginning

B.Exempt from any consequence

C.Automatically valid once registered

D.Inadmissible in evidence until the stamp duty and penalty are paid

Explanation: An insufficiently stamped instrument is not void but is inadmissible in evidence and cannot be acted upon until the deficient duty together with the prescribed penalty is paid and the instrument is impounded and validated by the proper authority.

6The process of preparing the final, fair copy of a deed ready for execution is called:

A.Engrossing

B.Attestation

C.Recital

D.Verification

Explanation: Engrossing means writing or printing the final fair copy of a deed on the appropriate stamp paper, ready for execution. It is the stage after the draft is approved and before signing.

7In drafting, the rule that a document should be read 'ut res magis valeat quam pereat' means:

A.A document should be construed strictly against its maker only

B.Oral evidence always prevails over the written word

C.Every ambiguity must be resolved in favour of the government

D.A construction that makes the instrument effective is preferred over one that defeats it

Explanation: The maxim 'ut res magis valeat quam pereat' directs that courts prefer a construction that gives effect to an instrument rather than one that renders it ineffective or void. Drafters and interpreters lean toward validity wherever the language reasonably allows.

8Which clause in a deed identifies the parties along with their parentage, age, and address?

A.The habendum

B.The covenants

C.The reddendum

D.The description of parties

Explanation: The description of parties clause sets out the full identity of each party, typically including name, parentage, age, occupation, and address, so that the parties are unambiguously identified in the deed.

9Attestation of a deed requires that:

A.The witnesses must have seen the executant sign or receive acknowledgement of the signature

B.Only one witness is required for every deed in all cases

C.The witnesses must also be parties to the deed

D.The witnesses must be advocates

Explanation: Valid attestation requires that each attesting witness has seen the executant sign or affix his mark, or has received from the executant a personal acknowledgement of the signature or mark, and has then signed in the presence of the executant.

10The 'operative part' of a deed primarily contains:

A.The list of witnesses

B.The schedule of stamp duty paid

C.The narration of background facts

D.The words that actually create, transfer, or limit the rights

Explanation: The operative part of a deed contains the words of grant, transfer, or limitation that give legal effect to the transaction, such as 'hereby sells, transfers, and conveys'. It is the heart of the deed where rights are actually dealt with.

About the CS Professional — Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances Exam

Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances is Paper 2 of Group 1 of the ICSI CS Professional Programme under the new syllabus 2022. It tests legal drafting and conveyancing, agreements and deeds, civil and criminal pleadings, petitions and appeals before NCLT, NCLAT, SAT and the courts, affidavits, powers of attorney, the art of advocacy, e-filing, compounding of offences, and representation before regulators such as SEBI, RBI, and the CCI.

Assessment

Performance-based assessment

Time Limit

3 hours

Passing Score

40% in the paper and 50% aggregate across Group 1, per ICSI rules

Exam Fee

No standalone fee; covered by the ICSI Professional Programme group examination fee (Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI))

CS Professional — Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances Exam Content Outline

16%

General Principles of Drafting & Conveyancing

Meaning of drafting and conveyancing, fundamental rules, dos and don'ts, legal interpretation aids, recitals, testimonium, attestation, stamping, and engrossing of deeds.

18%

Drafting of Agreements, Deeds & Documents

E-contracts, IPR and licensing agreements, share purchase and shareholders agreements, pre-incorporation contracts, sale and lease deeds, and Companies Act 2013 agreements.

16%

Pleadings (Civil & Criminal)

Object and rules of pleadings, plaint and written statement, interlocutory applications, complaints, bail applications, criminal miscellaneous petitions, appeals, and revisions.

16%

Petitions, Applications & Appeals before Tribunals & Courts

Drafting before NCLT, NCLAT, SAT and High Courts, writ petitions under Articles 226 and 32, special leave petitions, and memorandum of appeal and revision.

12%

Affidavits, Powers of Attorney & Allied Documents

Affidavit drafting and verification, evidence affidavits, general and special powers of attorney, indemnity bonds, undertakings, legal notices, and replies.

12%

Appearances, Art of Advocacy & E-filing

Right and rules of appearance, court craft, arguments on preliminary submissions and merits, opinion writing, and e-filing before tribunals and regulators.

10%

Compounding & Representation before Regulators

Compounding of offences under the Companies Act, SEBI Act and FEMA, and representation before SEBI, RBI, and the Competition Commission of India.

How to Pass the CS Professional — Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 40% in the paper and 50% aggregate across Group 1, per ICSI rules
Assessment: Performance-based assessment
Time limit: 3 hours
Exam fee: No standalone fee; covered by the ICSI Professional Programme group examination fee

Keys to Passing

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CS Professional — Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practise actual drafting by hand, since the real paper rewards correct structure, recitals, and verification rather than recognition.

2Memorise the standard skeleton of a plaint, written statement, affidavit, and power of attorney so you can reproduce them under time pressure.

3Track current amendments to the Companies Act, SEBI Act and FEMA compounding provisions before each session.

4Learn which forum has jurisdiction for each remedy, for example NCLT versus High Court versus SAT.

5Use these MCQs to lock in definitions and rules, then convert that knowledge into full descriptive answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the CS Professional Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances paper?

ICSI does not set a fixed question count. The real paper is a three-hour, 100-mark descriptive examination, usually with attempt-any-style questions including drafting, pleadings, and short-note tasks rather than multiple-choice questions.

Is the Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances exam multiple-choice?

No. The actual ICSI paper is fully descriptive and subjective, requiring candidates to draft documents and answer analytical questions. This free bank provides 100 MCQs only as knowledge-building practice for the same syllabus.

What is the passing requirement for this CS Professional paper?

Under ICSI examination rules, a candidate must score at least 40% in the individual paper and 50% in the aggregate of the group to pass. A paper cleared with 60% or more may earn an exemption.

Which tribunals does the Drafting, Pleadings & Appearances syllabus cover?

The syllabus covers appearances and drafting before the NCLT, NCLAT, Securities Appellate Tribunal, High Courts and the Supreme Court, plus regulators such as SEBI, RBI, and the Competition Commission of India.

Is this paper open book?

ICSI has moved several Professional Programme papers to descriptive formats; candidates should confirm the current open-book or closed-book status for their session on the ICSI academic portal, as ICSI updates this periodically.

What is compounding of offences in this syllabus?

Compounding is the settlement of certain non-serious offences by paying a sum in lieu of prosecution. The syllabus covers compounding under the Companies Act, the SEBI Act, and FEMA, including the authorities empowered to compound.