MUMBAI (India CSR): Imarticus Learning today announced the launch of its Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Indian Capital Markets, a dedicated certification and capability-building practice built to close a widening gap between India’s investor base and the certified professionals serving it. The CoE brings NISM and NCFM certification training, applied capital markets programs and continuing professional education under a single practice, delivered through a fully managed national network of training centres and a digital learning platform designed so institutions can deploy it without building any training infrastructure of their own.
The CoE is structured as a progression rather than a set of standalone products, reflecting that a capital markets professional will need multiple certifications over a career, plus continuing education for as long as they hold a licence.
The practice’s current priority is the Mutual Fund–SIF Distributors examination (NISM-Series-V-D), which NISM launched on July 22, 2026, replacing the earlier two-exam route for Specialized Investment Fund distribution. SIF is currently the fastest-growing category in Indian capital markets: AMFI data shows industry AUM in the category has grown from roughly Rs. 2,000 crore at its October 2025 launch to Rs. 23,177 crore as of July 2026, a 29.8% month-on-month rise. The practice also covers Mutual Fund Distributors (NISM-Series-V-A), Portfolio Management Services Distributors (XXI-A), Alternative Investment Funds Category III (XIX-B), Securities Operations and Risk Management (VII), Investment Adviser (X-A/X-B), Research Analyst (XV), Equity and Derivatives (VIII/XIII), NCFM modules, and CPE refreshers across all license categories. An applied Wealth Management Program, developed in-house, sits alongside the certification track for practicing relationship and advisory teams.
Programs are delivered through classroom, live-online and blended formats at fully-equipped centres, or through a dedicated digital platform offering exam simulation and a question bank mapped to current NISM syllabi, giving institutions a single governance model whether their teams are concentrated in one city or spread nationally.
Commenting on the launch, Nikhil Barshikar, Founder & CEO, Imarticus Learning said: “The Centre of Excellence responds to a clear shift in the Indian market. Retail participation has expanded to over 23 crore demat accounts and Rs. 85 lakh crore in mutual fund assets, while the certified professional base serving those investors has grown at a fraction of that pace. Over the past 14 years, we’ve built deep BFSI training capability for India’s largest banks, AMCs and insurers. The Centre of Excellence takes that same infrastructure, our NISM and NSE accreditations and our national centre network, and brings them together for the first time as a dedicated capital markets practice, so institutions don’t have to build anything themselves, and individual professionals have one partner across every certification their career requires.”
Built on existing delivery infrastructure
The CoE operates through Imarticus’s established network of fully-equipped centres across Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Indore, Lucknow, Kochi and Coimbatore, with extended delivery reach across approximately 60% of India’s PIN codes through partner networks.
Imarticus has delivered over 8,500 training sessions in FY 25–26 and has trained over 10 lakh professionals across 1,000-plus enterprises and public sector undertakings, with an average participant feedback rating of 4.26 out of 5. The organisation holds NSDC certification and PFRDA Authorised Training Agency status for 2024–2027, under which it has trained 1.25 lakh participants across Central and State Governments, Autonomous Bodies and Corporates.
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