NISM Series XVISEBI mandatoryTier B

    Commodity DerivativesCertification Guide.

    Covers commodity futures and options, commodity-specific analysis (agri, metals, energy), trading mechanics, and SEBI commodity regulations. Essential for MCX/NCDEX segment.

    Rohit SinghMr. Chartist
    January 15, 2026
    12 min read
    IntermediateDifficulty

    Suggested prep: 15-20 days

    25%Negative marking

    Avoid blind guessing.

    3 yearsValidity

    Computer-Based Test (CBT)

    Rank 12Priority

    Commodity track

    01Overview

    What this certification is really testing.

    Ideal for

    • Commodity trading professionals
    • MCX/NCDEX brokerage employees
    • Agri-commodity hedgers

    Career paths

    • Commodity Trading Analyst
    • MCX/NCDEX Trader
    • Agri-Commodity Desk
    • Commodity Research Analyst

    Mandatory for

    • Approved users of trading member (commodity derivatives segment)
    • Sales personnel in commodity derivatives

    02Syllabus

    Study by chapter weightage, not by guesswork.

    The highest scoring chapters carry 77% of the paper. Start there, then use the low-weight chapters for polish.

    Chapter weightage

    1. 01Introduction to Commodity Markets10%
    2. 02Commodity Derivatives - Futures & Options20%
    3. 03Commodity Market - Participants and Functions12%
    4. 04Trading, Clearing and Settlement15%
    5. 05Commodity-Specific Analysis15%
    6. 06Regulatory Framework15%
    7. 07Taxation and Accounting8%
    8. 08Risk Management and Hedging5%

    High-weightage focus

    Commodity Derivatives - Futures & Options

    20%

    Trading, Clearing and Settlement

    15%

    Commodity-Specific Analysis

    15%

    Regulatory Framework

    15%

    Commodity Market - Participants and Functions

    12%

    03Key concepts

    Concepts and formulas to keep handy.

    Key concepts to remember

    • MCX is the primary commodity exchange in India - gold, silver, crude oil, natural gas, copper
    • NCDEX focuses on agricultural commodities - soybean, chana, guar seed
    • Commodity futures can be physically settled (delivery) or cash settled
    • Warehousing receipt is essential for physical delivery in commodity futures
    • Hedgers use commodity futures to lock in prices - farmers sell futures, processors buy futures
    • SEBI took over regulation of commodity derivatives from FMC in 2015
    • Commodity options (vanilla) were introduced in India in 2017
    • Weather, monsoon, government policies (MSP, import/export duties) heavily impact agri-commodities

    04Study plan

    A clear way to study this module.

    Study strategy

    • Focus on Commodity Derivatives (Ch 2, 20%) and Commodity-Specific Analysis (Ch 5, 15%)
    • Know the difference between agri and non-agri commodities - different trading mechanics
    • Regulatory Framework (Ch 6, 15%) - SEBI's role post-FMC merger
    • Hedging scenarios for commodities - farmer (sell hedge) vs processor (buy hedge)
    • Physical settlement mechanics - warehouse receipts, quality specifications

    Exam-day tips

    • Standard 100 MCQs in 120 minutes
    • Commodity-specific questions: know which commodities trade on MCX vs NCDEX
    • 0.25 negative marking - be cautious with regulatory questions
    • Hedging questions are application-based - read scenarios carefully

    05Common mistakes

    The pass mark is simple. The paper is not.

    Scoring warning

    Because this paper has negative marking, precision matters more than speed. Attempt the sure questions first, then return to calculations and close-call options.

    Ready to register?

    Book your slot on the official NISM portal. Confirm the current fee and exam pattern there before you pay.

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