New Delhi, Aug 28: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and MoS in the PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, on Friday emphasised the importance of good corporate governance and professional excellence in India's development journey.
Dr Jitendra Singh made the remarks during an interaction with a delegation of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), which called on him to invite him as the Guest of Honour at the presentation ceremony of the 26th ICSI National Awards for Excellence in Corporate Governance, scheduled to be held in 2027.
"Good corporate governance is central to India's development," the Minister said, underlining the growing role of Company Secretaries in India's governance ecosystem.
He said corporate professionals have an important responsibility in promoting ethical practices, institutional accountability and responsible governance. He called for greater participation of Company Secretaries in strengthening governance practices across the corporate and economic sectors.
Dr Jitendra Singh said professional excellence and good governance must go hand in hand and stressed the need to foster a stronger culture of ethical entrepreneurship, transparency and accountability.
He also highlighted the role of professional institutions such as ICSI in promoting governance standards and facilitating practices that contribute to institutional excellence. He appreciated the efforts of professional bodies to continuously update their standards and practices in line with changing requirements.
The Minister stressed the importance of recognising and encouraging organisations and individuals that demonstrate excellence in corporate governance.
He noted that the role of Company Secretaries has expanded beyond their traditional professional responsibilities, particularly in strengthening governance systems and supporting institutions through their expertise. He said the profession could make a broader contribution to India's growth by promoting transparency, responsibility and good governance.
Dr Jitendra Singh also took note of ICSI's initiatives in Panchayat and local-body governance. He appreciated the Institute's efforts to prepare manuals and training material in multiple languages.
He further praised ICSI's digitalisation initiatives, including the adoption of electronic voting and preferential voting systems for its elections.
The delegation briefed the Minister about ICSI and its activities, stating that the institute has more than 80,000 members and around 2.5 lakh students.
The interaction also covered ICSI's initiatives relating to professional standards, secretarial standards and corporate governance, besides its Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions towards translating excellence in corporate governance into reality.
