AML & CFT in Securities MarketsCertification Guide.
Covers anti-money laundering and combating financing of terrorism KYC, CDD, STR, FATF standards, SEBI AML guidelines. Newest NISM certification.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Suggested prep: 15-20 days
Negative marking
25%
Avoid blind guessing.
Validity
3 years
Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Priority
Rank 15
AML track
What this certification is really testing.
This template pulls directly from the NISM database so the article stays factual, structured, and easy to scan before you register.
Ideal for
Compliance officers handling AML/CFT
MLRO at brokerages, AMCs, DPs
Career paths
AML/CFT Compliance Officer
MLRO (Money Laundering Reporting Officer)
Surveillance Analyst
KYC/CDD Specialist
Mandatory for
Designated Directors / Principal Officers for AML compliance
Compliance officers handling AML/CFT at securities intermediaries
Study by chapter weightage, not by guesswork.
The highest scoring chapters carry 90% of the paper. Start there, then use the low-weight chapters for polish.
High-weightage focus
AML/CFT Legal Framework in India
18%KYC, CDD, and EDD
18%Suspicious Transaction Reporting
15%SEBI AML/CFT Guidelines for Intermediaries
15%Overview of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
12%International Standards FATF
12%Key concepts to remember
PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) 2002 India's primary AML legislation
STR: Suspicious Transaction Report must be filed with FIU-IND within 7 working days
CTR: Cash Transaction Report transactions exceeding Rs. 10 lakhs in a month must be reported
KYC levels: CDD (Customer Due Diligence), EDD (Enhanced Due Diligence) for high-risk customers
PEP (Politically Exposed Person): Requires EDD higher risk category
FATF: Financial Action Task Force sets global AML/CFT standards, India is a member
Securities industry-specific: SEBI AML/CFT circular for brokers, AMCs, DPs
ML stages: Placement Layering Integration know the three stages
A clear way to study this module.
Use the database strategy as the practical order of attack: official workbook first, high-weightage chapters next, then mocks and exam-day control.
Study strategy
Focus on AML/CFT Legal Framework (Ch 2, 18%) and KYC/CDD/EDD (Ch 3, 18%) = 36%
STR (Ch 4, 15%) know when and how to file suspicious transaction reports
SEBI-specific AML Guidelines (Ch 5, 15%) securities industry compliance
FATF standards and recommendations (Ch 6, 12%) understand the global framework
Exam-day tips
Standard format 100 MCQs, 120 minutes
Regulatory recall questions dominate memorize key PMLA provisions and SEBI circulars
0.25 negative marking be careful with specific reporting threshold questions
STR/CTR filing requirements and thresholds are frequently tested
Scoring warning
The pass mark is simple. The paper is not.
Because this paper has negative marking, precision matters more than speed. Attempt the sure questions first, then return to calculations and close-call options.
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