The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) on Monday said the UGC has recognised company secretary qualification as equivalent to postgraduate degree based on representations submitted by it.

''This recognition will leverage the company secretary profession across the globe, giving the members of the institute an opportunity to pursue PhD in Commerce and Allied Disciplines,'' it said in a release.

Thanking the UGC, ICSI President Nagendra D Rao said the recognition will open up another world of opportunities for company secretaries.

The ICSI has more than 64,000 members and about 2.5 lakh students.