An Insider's Guide to NISM Certifications: A Q&A with Amol Koparde

We sat down with Mr. Amol Koparde, founder of AK Investments Services, to get his insights on a career in finance and the value of NISM certifications. With over 25 years of experience, he shares his journey and offers practical advice for students and professionals.

About Mr. Amol Koparde

Mr. Koparde is the founder of AK Investments Services.

• Educational Background:
• Post-graduation in Commerce from Pune University.
• MBA in Finance from NMIMS, Mumbai University.
• Professional Experience:
• Over 25 years of experience in finance, accounts, and taxation.
• Specializes in comprehensive financial solutions, including mutual funds, retirement planning, insurance, and taxation strategies.

NISM SERIES XIII COMMON DERIVATIVES COMPLETE GUIDE

The Motivation Behind NISM-Series-XIII: Common Derivatives

Mr. Koparde pursued the NISM-Series-XIII: Common Derivatives certification to become eligible to distribute Specialized Investment Funds (SIFs).

• What are SIFs? Innovative products launched by SEBI with a minimum investment of ₹10 lakhs.
• Why is this certification important? Mr. Koparde believes this category will gain significant traction among High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNIs) in the future.

The Value of NISM's Financial Goal Planner Certification

Mr. Koparde completed his NISM Certified Financial Goal Planner certification after his Mutual Fund Distributorship exam.

• Why this sequence? As a mutual fund distributor, he could only offer "incidental" planning. This certification allows him to provide comprehensive financial planning to his clients, offering a wider range of solutions.

Study Strategies & Key Takeaways

Study Material & Preparation

• The Challenge: Mr. Koparde found limited structured study material. NISM provides extensive books, but they can be lengthy.
• His Solution: He relied heavily on Professor Sheetal Kunder's YouTube academy videos, which provided a clear and structured approach. He also attended webinars and explored other online resources.

Key Advice for Preparation

• Prioritise Concepts: Derivatives are complex. Focus on conceptual clarity first. The videos provided by Professor Kundar helped him simplify concepts across equity, interest rate, and currency derivatives.
• Tackling Difficult Topics: The cross-currency segment was particularly challenging for him, but Professor Kundar's detailed explanations were crucial in clearing his doubts.
• Navigating Negative Marking: With negative marking and a 60% passing requirement, be cautious. His key advice is to solve each question conceptually first, without looking at the options. This prevents falling into the trap of similar-looking choices.

A Tailored Preparation Plan

Time Commitment

As a working professional, Mr. Koparde followed a disciplined schedule:

• Initial Phase: 2 hours daily for 15 days to grasp concepts.
• Final Phase (last 4 days): Increased to 4 hours daily for focused revision.

Advice for Different Professionals

• For those without a derivatives background: Focus on clearing your concepts first through videos or structured courses.
• For everyone: After building a strong conceptual foundation, practice extensively. He recommends solving the 700+ mock test questions available on professional academy websites. A score of 85-90% in these tests indicates you are prepared to attempt the exam on your first try.

Final Takeaway

Mr. Koparde final advice to mutual fund distributors and individual distributors is that clearing this exam is a major confidence booster. It enables you to effectively engage with HNI clients, offer advanced investment solutions like SIFs, and strengthen your credibility in the wealth management sector.