Curriculum- NISM-Series-XIX-E Category III Alternative Investment Fund Managers Certification Examination
SECTION A: BASICS OF INVESTMENTS
CHAPTER 1: INVESTMENTS LANDSCAPE
- Investment
- Investment Versus Speculation
- Investment Objectives
- Estimating the required rate of return
CHAPTER 2: TYPES OF INVESTMENTS
- Traditional Investments Vs. Alternative Investments
- Types of Traditional Investments
- Types of Alternative Investments
- Channels for making investments
- Role of Alternative Investments in Portfolio Management
- Alternative Investments – Antecedents and Growth
CHAPTER 3: INTRODUCTION TO MODERN PORTFOLIO THEORY AND CAPITAL MARKET THEORY
- Framework for constructing portfolios – Modern Portfolio Theory
- Assumptions of the theory
- Expected rate of return for individual security
- Variance of return for individual security (Ex-Ante Risk)
- Expected rate of return for a portfolio: (Ex-Ante Return)
- Variance of return for a portfolio
- Efficient Frontier
- Portfolio Optimization process
- Estimation issues
- Introduction to Capital Market Theory
- Assumptions of Capital Market Theory and the implication of relaxing these assumptions
- Capital Market Line
- Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)
- Security Market Line
Section B: Understanding the AIF Ecosystem
CHAPTER 4: ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FUNDS IN INDIA AND ITS SUITABILITY
- Evolution and Growth of AIFs in India and Factors enabling preference for Indian AIF market
- Types of AIFs
- Comparison of Categories
- Suitability of AIF products to Investors
- Current AIF Market in India
- Comparison between Category III AIF and Traditional Investments
- Role of AIFs in Portfolio Diversification
- AIF as a Risk Management Tool
CHAPTER 5: ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FUND ECOSYSTEM
- Concepts prevalent in the AIF industry
CHAPTER 6: ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT FUND STRUCTURING
- Principle of ‘Pooling’
- General ‘Pooling’ Considerations
- Anatomy of AIF Constitution
- Common Fund structures of AIF
- Comparative Analysis
CHAPTER 7: FEE STRUCTURE AND FUND PERFORMANCE
- Management Fees and Other Expenses
- Hurdle Rate
- High-Water Mark
- Risks in AIF
- Types of Risks in AIFs
- Risk Measures
- Return Measures in Alternative Investments
- Pre and Post Tax Returns
- Risk-adjusted Return Metrics and Performance Measures
CHAPTER 8: INDICES AND BENCHMARKING
- Index
- Uses of Indices
- Factors differentiating the indices
- Index Methodologies
- Stock market indices
- Bond Market Indices
- Stock-Bond (Composite) Indices
- Performance Benchmarking
CHAPTER 9: LEGAL DOCUMENTATION AND NEGOTIATIONS
- Introduction
- The Trust Document / Limited Liability Partnership Deed / Memorandum and Articles of Associations
- The Investment Management Agreement
- The Subscription (Investor Contribution) Agreement
- Private Placement Memorandum
- Wrapper
- Support Services Agreements
Section C: Managing AIF Investments – Category III AIFs
CHAPTER 10: INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
- Investment Strategies used by Category III AIFs
CHAPTER 11: GOVERNANCE OF FUNDS AND DUE DILIGENCE
- Investor Due Diligence
- Definitive Agreements
- Regulation on Governance Structure in AIF
- Role of Human Capital in avoiding Conflict of Interests
- Co-investments in AIFs
- Code of Conduct of Investment Managers of AIFs and Investment Committee
- Industry Best Practices
CHAPTER 12: VALUATION
- Introduction
- Valuation Basics for Fixed Income Instruments
- Approaches to Equity Valuation
- Approaches to Business Valuation
- Asset based Valuation
- Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Valuation
- Relative or Multiple based Valuation
- Net Asset Value (NAV)
- Valuation Techniques
- Computation of NAV for a Category III AIF vs. NAV attributable to a series of units issued to investors
- Valuation Regulations
- Role of third-party Registered Valuers
CHAPTER 13: FUND MONITORING, REPORTING AND EXIT
- Monitoring Alternative Investment Fund Progress and Performance
- Context and Scope of Effective Fund Monitoring
- Regulatory Framework for Fund Monitoring and Reporting
- Fund Reporting
- Exit Options
- Winding Up of an AIF
- Liquidation Scheme
- Dissolution Period
Section D: Taxation and Regulatory Framework
Chapter 14: TAXATION
- Taxation of AIFs
- Set off and carry forward of loss under the ITA
- GAAR
- MLI
- Other applicable taxes
- Examples
CHAPTER 15: REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
A. SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012
- Registration Process and Eligibility Criteria
- Sponsor / Manager Commitment
- Concept of Open-ended and Close-ended Funds
- Accredited Investor Framework
- First Close, Final Close and Tenure of Funds / Schemes
- Investors’ subscription to the Fund/Scheme
- Dematerialization of AIF Units:
- Raising Corpus Capital
- Investment Conditions applicable to AIFs
- Guidelines on Operational, Prudential and Reporting Norms for Category III AIFs
- General Obligations and Responsibilities of AIFs
- Pro-rata and Pari-passu Rights of Investors
- Inspection
- Code of Conduct for AIFs
- Market Surveillance by AIFs
- Exemption from enforcement of the regulations in special cases
- Periodic Disclosures and Reporting
- Specific due diligence of investors and investments of AIFs
Section D: Taxation and Regulatory Framework
Chapter 14: TAXATION
- Taxation of AIFs
- Set off and carry forward of loss under the ITA
- GAAR
- MLI
- Other applicable taxes
- Examples
B. Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999
- FDI and its Economic Significance
- Investment Framework under FEMA
- Inbound Foreign Investment Routes
- Foreign Investments in AIFs
- Overseas Investments by AIFs
C. Prevention of Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2002
- 15.23 Regulatory Oversight
D. Other related SEBI Regulations
- SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 2015
- SEBI (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices relating to Securities Markets) Regulations, 2003
- SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2018
- SEBI (Foreign Portfolio Investors) Regulations, 2019
- Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act and Common Reporting Standard