CIPS Certification in India: Levels, Entry Points, Exams and MCIPS
| CIPS at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Awarding body | Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (UK) |
| Ladder | Level 2 Certificate, Level 3 Advanced Certificate, Level 4 Diploma, Level 5 Advanced Diploma, Level 6 Professional Diploma |
| Highest entry point | Level 4 Diploma ("2+ years of relevant experience in a business environment") |
| Route to MCIPS | Levels 4, 5 and 6, plus three years in a position of responsibility and a line-manager letter |
| Exams | Five series a year (March, May, July, September, November) plus January; September and January objective-response only; remote invigilation available |
| In India | Blue Ocean Corporation Private Limited: CIPS approved study centre, distance learning, New Delhi. Levels 3, 4 and 5 |
| Our courses | Level 3, Level 4, Level 5 |
The short answer
If you work in procurement and want the chartered-body qualification employers name most often, start at Level 4 if you have two or more years of business experience, or Level 3 if you have less. Study is by distance learning with tutor support. Exams are computer-based in fixed series, mostly sat by remote invigilation in India. MCIPS comes after Level 6 and three years in a responsible role, not after any single course.
What CIPS is
CIPS is the UK chartered institute for procurement and supply. It awards qualifications, runs the examinations, and awards membership grades up to MCIPS and FCIPS; in its own words, "we're the only Awarding Body in the world that can award MCIPS status". Its qualifications "are aligned to the Global Standard, a globally recognised procurement and supply framework for competence and best practice". Training providers deliver the study; CIPS examines and awards. That distinction decides what any provider, including us, can truthfully say.
The ladder, and where you enter
In CIPS's own positioning: the Level 2 Certificate is for those "just starting you career in procurement and supply"; the Level 3 Advanced Certificate is for people "already in an operational role"; the Level 4 Diploma is where you "begin your journey to MCIPS ... if you have 2+ years of business experience. This is the highest qualification entry point"; the Level 5 Advanced Diploma is "your next step towards becoming MCIPS Chartered"; and the Level 6 Professional Diploma is "aimed at senior procurement professionals". CIPS states plainly: "The highest entry level for our qualifications is the Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply." You cannot start at Level 5 or 6 however senior you are; the alternative for senior people is CIPS's Management Entry Route, which is a separate CIPS process.
Level 3, 4 and 5 with us
- Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Procurement and Supply Operations. Five modules in our programme: procurement and supply environments, ethical procurement and supply, contract administration, team dynamics and change, socially responsible procurement. For procurement officers, buyers and purchasing assistants with limited experience. Course page.
- Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply. CIPS: "The qualification has eight compulsory modules worth 60 credits and you'll need to pass each exam to achieve the award", with ten study hours per credit as a planning guide; it is Ofqual-regulated and "equivalent to a first year of an undergraduate degree". Our programme covers the eight: scope and influence of procurement and supply, defining business need, commercial contracting, ethical and responsible sourcing, commercial negotiation, supplier relationships, whole-life asset management, procurement and supply practices. Course page.
- Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply. Core modules in our programme: managing teams and individuals, managing supply chain risk, managing contractual risk, advanced contract and financial management, managing ethical procurement and supply; electives from category management, advanced negotiation, competitive advantage through the supply chain, project and change management, operations management. For managers after Level 4. Course page.
How CIPS exams work in India
CIPS uses two formats: "Objective Response (OR)", where "you will be given a choice of answers", and "Constructed Responses (CR) essay style questions". Exams are computer-based and can be taken "at one of our global exam venues or by remote invigilation in the comfort of your own home or office".
Two facts matter for an Indian candidate. First, timing: CIPS's exams page states "We host exams five times a year, March, May, July, September and November", and the timetable adds a January series; the September and January series are objective-response only, so constructed-response papers at Diploma level and above are available in March, May, July and November. Plan a Level 4 or 5 timetable around those four. (You will see "four times a year" on some CIPS pages and most Indian websites; it is the older statement.) Second, venue: CIPS lists a single exam venue in India, in Bengaluru, and only for the Advanced Certificate, so most Indian candidates at every level sit by remote invigilation. We book your exams for you as your study centre; we do not run them.
What MCIPS requires
MCIPS "demonstrates you have achieved the globally recognised standard of excellence for the procurement and supply profession and you are a fully qualified, current member of CIPS". The qualification route is "completing the CIPS Level 4 Diploma, Level 5 Advanced Diploma and the Level 6 Professional Diploma". Qualifications alone are not enough: "You'll need at least three years' experience of holding a position of responsibility within procurement and supply. You'll also need a signed letter on your company's letter head, from your Line Manager." Above MCIPS sit Chartered Status (CPD and an ethics test) and FCIPS. We deliver Levels 3 to 5 in India; Level 6 is a separate decision at the point you reach it.
Our CIPS status, exactly as CIPS publishes it
CIPS's study-centre finder lists Blue Ocean Corporation Private Limited as an approved centre and study centre: distance learning in India, at Mohan Dev Building, Tolstoy Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi, for the Certificate, Advanced Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma. That is the whole claim. It means your CIPS study with us in India is tutor-supported distance learning; we are not listed as a classroom centre or an exam venue in India, and we will not say otherwise until CIPS's record says otherwise. Our Dubai company holds a separate CIPS record with different approvals, which applies to learners in the UAE, not India.
What it costs, and who you pay
CIPS charges its own registration, membership and examination fees, set by CIPS and payable to CIPS. Our tuition for each level is shown in Indian rupees on the course page for visitors in India. Searches for "CIPS certification cost in India" expect one number; there is not one, because CIPS's fees depend on level, number of modules and resits, and change. The advisor will give you the current total for your level in writing.
Choosing your level, in three questions
- How many years have you worked in a business environment, and are you in procurement now? Two or more years: Level 4. Less, or an operational purchasing role: Level 3.
- Have you completed Level 4 already (with us or elsewhere)? Then Level 5.
- Is MCIPS the goal? Count the years in a responsible role you will need alongside the qualifications, and start Level 4 now.
If you are weighing CIPS against the shorter IPSCMI route (CIPP and CIPM), the procurement certification comparison and CIPP vs CIPM in India cover it.
Frequently asked questions
Is CIPS available in India? Yes, through CIPS approved study centres by distance learning, of which Blue Ocean Corporation Private Limited in New Delhi is one. Exams are mostly sat by remote invigilation.
Can I start CIPS at Level 5? No. CIPS states Level 4 is the highest entry point. Level 5 follows Level 4.
How many times a year are CIPS exams held? Five series (March, May, July, September, November) plus a January series; September and January are objective-response only.
What is MCIPS and how long does it take? The chartered member grade. It needs the Level 4, 5 and 6 qualifications plus at least three years in a position of responsibility and a line-manager letter; the qualifications alone do not confer it.
Does Blue Ocean run CIPS classroom courses in India? Our CIPS record in India is for distance learning. Ask the advisor about tutor support and any in-person sessions; we will tell you exactly what the record allows.
Start your CIPS qualification
See the Level 4 Diploma course page for the current intake and rupee tuition, or speak to a course advisor about level placement. Our New Delhi centre, the address on the CIPS record, is described on the Delhi training page.
