Ever hit "Submit" on an MCA or Stock Exchange Website…
…and then realize you made a silly mistake?
You’re not alone.
I’ve been there too.
Yes, we have review layers.
And Yes, we double-check.
But imagine if your first draft went through without a single correction.
Wouldn’t that feel great?
Recently, I found myself making a few slip-ups.
So I turned to someone who can’t afford to make mistakes—my brother.
He's an engineer at a top MNC in the oil & gas sector.
I asked him, “How do you avoid making mistakes when you have so much technical documentation?”
He smiled and said:
“Saeed, In engineering, a small error can shut down operations leading to millions of dollars of loss. In your world, it could mean penalties, loss of investor confidence, or regulatory actions. Different risks—but both need zero-error execution.”
He continued…
“When you're building a plant, there are thousands of documents to send to vendors, regulators, partners.
The only thing that saves us? Checklists.”
That struck a chord.
So I made my own checklist for Stock Exchange Intimations—and believe me, it’s helped me avoid the most common mistakes CS professionals make. Here it is:
Dear Company Secretary,
Are you spending hours scrolling SEBI and MCA sites for ..
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Company law Amendments
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Securities laws Amendments
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Detailed analysis of latest case laws.
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Checklist on various practical Topics
Well, Already 2845 Company secretaries get them delivered to their inbox.
You too can join our Passionate CS Email Community with the link given below
And get all of this, delivered weekly, straight to your inbox.
No noise.
No nonsense.
Just pure value…..A CS’s Commitment🤞
___________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Right Reference Number:
Ensure to take right reference number for Stock Exchange
2. Dates of the Current Year:
Sounds simple, but often we copy formats from previous filings and forget to update the year or date.
3. Latest Letterhead:
Use the most recent version of the company letterhead, especially if there were any changes to logo, address, or contact details.
4. Correct Subject Line:
The subject should clearly indicate the nature of the intimation—“Outcome of Board Meeting,” “Resignation of Director,” etc and neither be unnecessarily long.
5. Content Accuracy:
Read the entire body carefully. Is everything factually correct? Are dates, designations, and approvals mentioned right?
6. Copy-Paste Errors:
Often, we reuse formats from previous years or other companies’ filings. Watch for:
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Repeated words like “The The”
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Paragraphs that got duplicated accidentally
7. Copy-Paste Wording Errors from External Documents:
When pasting from Board Resolutions, Notices, etc., check for:
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Singular/plural mismatches
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Direct to indirect speech transitions
8. Formatting Consistency:
After pasting, use the Format Painter to ensure fonts, spacing, and styles match the rest of the document.
9. Weblink Validation:
Click every hyperlink in the document and test them.
10. Cross-Referencing Previous Intimations:
If this intimation refers to a past filing (like a continuation or update), include its reference.
11. Attachments Are Correct and Final:
Double-check that the attached file is the final version—not a draft or the wrong document altogether.
12. DSC Signature Validity:
If the document is digitally signed, make sure the DSC token is valid and not expired.
🤫 The Filing Habits No One Teaches You (But Every CS Should Know)
When I was new, I always wondered—
How do senior CSs never miss a thing?
Their filings?
Spotless.
No last-minute rush.
No panicked corrections.
So, I started watching closely.
And here’s what I picked up—small habits that make a big difference:
✂️ 1. The “Print & Cut” Rule
One mentor told me:
“Saeed, don’t just rely on Word. Print it. Slice it line by line.”
I rolled my eyes—until I tried it.
That one habit helped me catch:
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An outdated year in the subject
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Double spaces in the body
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An old letterhead used.…all in one go.
Screens trick your eyes. Paper slows you down.
🌐 2. File → Upload → Close the Loop
After submitting to NSE/BSE, it’s tempting to think, Done!
But there’s one more step:
Send it for website upload—and confirm it goes to the right tab (2025 > Investor Updates, etc.)
I've seen filings go through perfectly, but forgotten uploads caused chaos later.
Don't leave it for later.
💾 3. Save Like It’ll Be Audited Tomorrow
Always save:
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📝 Word doc
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📄 Final PDF
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📊 XBRL
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📬 Acknowledgement emails
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🧾 NSE/BSE receipts
And store them cleanly named.
This will come really handy if a Stock Exchange query comes in.
And your future self will love you for this!
Bonus: Tiny Filing Habits That Save You Headaches
These steps take 10 seconds—but save hours:
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Update all dates/year in reused templates
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Pick the correct tab in the filing portal
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Keep file names clean— —no special characters or extra spaces
None of this is rocket science.
But it’s the difference between "Oops, refiled" and "Smooth filing, no remarks."
Try using these steps today, and I promise you that you’ll notice the difference.
In the last year alone there were around:
📌 47+ amendments by MCA
📌 60+ circulars & notifications from SEBI
📌 100+ case law rulings impacting corporate governance
That’s a lot to track.
However, already 3126+ Company Secretaries get them delivered to their inbox.
You too can join our Passionate CS Email Community with the link given below
If you found this article helpful, do like and comment…..Your engagement motivates me to share more articles!
With warm regards,
Keep Smiling,
Saeed Shaikh