As per SEBI rules,a distributor has to undergo two days Refresher course once in three years for doing business of Mutual Fund.. Presently 1)BSE 2)N.I.S.M.are conducting course.They charge Rs 3,400.This is restrictive practice.Distributors have to go out of their hometown by train / Bus and spend another Rs 10,000 towards TA and 3 days hotel stay. Pl arrange to make this course on line and make it answerable from distributors house. Reduce the fee to Rs 200 in public interest.. This will give more time,energy and piece of mind to distributors. Also Change the rule to attend this course once in five years(Instead of three years). With entry load abolished and direct plan introduction,agents are suffocating for business. No client is ready to pay any fee.. 1)Hence pl instruct all concern to take immediate steps to make course test ONLINE. 2)Presently we have to pay fee of Rs 1500 for ARN renewal Pl reduce the same to Rs 200.

I am woRking as IFA in baroda..I want to know how i can join IFA ASSOCIATION, & is there any formalities of IFA CERTIFICATION ? IFA is a degree like CFP ?

I welcome the move taken for IFA.

i welcome the move by mf advisors to form FIFA. there is no reason why it should not become a full fledged professional body for practicing advisors. my whole hearted support and wish to join the professional team. my contact no. 99641 43650

I want to be part of it and want to be actively involved. Please tell the procedure.

FIFA can convert itself into a Federation of all IFA Associations in the country instead of recruiting individual members. Secondly, I have been in the industry for more than 15 years now and am convinced of one important point. IFAs are selfish and can never put up a united fight. I have more than one example in my city of Rourkela to prove this point. Secondly, whom are we fighting against? SEBI is not there to protect the interests of IFAs. It was constitutionalised to protect the investors' interest and that is what they are doing honestly. The matter needs to be fought out with AMCs and Finance Ministry. At present we are barking at a wrong tree.

i want to become a member piease let me know what formalities have to be completed.

If we All come together under FIFA, then only we all fight for our RIGHT otherwise sirf RONA, RONA aur RONA hi hai...SOCHO SAMJO aur AAGE BADHO.

For all fellow IFAs apprehensive on FIFA's role towards smaller IFAs, I have copied the below Industry News from the Industry News section of wealthforum. Many regional IFA associations are now working towards joining issues with FIFA and also joining FIFA. "AMFI briefs FIFA on sub-committee for direct plans : AMFI's quarterly meeting with FIFA on 24th Sep also had representatives from KAMFA, Indore, Pune and Nasik IFA associations attending it. As expected, the focus of discussions centered around SEBI's decision to create lower cost direct plans. Concerns were expressed by all associations on the business impact on IFAs of this decision. AMFI briefed them about a sub-committee that has been set up by AMFI to examine this issue more closely and make suitable representations and suggestions that can be fair on all stakeholders. IFAs across the country will keenly look forward to tangible results coming out of this sub-committee's efforts - Wealth Forum 25-Sep-2012

FIFA appears to be operating in narrow band of top, national distributors with only 100 enrolled so far. it appears that retail small IFAs, who are thousands are still at large. their requirments, grievances, needs are still not addressed. this is evident from fact that equity fortfoilios are coming crashing down. FIFA initiatives will benefit lage brokers and they will tie up for garnering/cornering large business.even direct scheme is designed meticulously to throw out small IFAs. What is FIFA response to guard small IFAs? will FIFA walk along by taking small distributors by their side is question not for them but will decide about MF growth henceforth or MFs will walk from childhood straight to oldage, by skipping other life stages. MFs have to analyse impartially this question and understand advertisements alone do bring bussiness for financial products.field is open for IFAs to take other routes.

Dear Mr. Dhruv Mehta / FIFA Would like to know, if we could get our clients, mostly resident Indian to invest in the Mutual Funds registered and operating overseas. These MFs may or may not be investing in Indian Securities. If our law permits this activity, then I would request either FIFA or Wealth Forum or some other body to become a one point contact to facilitate this kind of a business arrangement which could be on perfectly legal lines and law abiding.

DEAR RIENDS, WHATEVER EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY FIFA HAVE YIELDED NO RESULTS SEBI & AMFI HAVE TURNED A BLIND EYE TO ALL MERCY APEALS BY ALL ASSOCIATIONS EVEN IN THE PAST WHEN ENTRY LOAD WAS BANNED AND NOW THE TIME WILL TELL AMFI CANNNOT DO ANYTHING TO MAKE SEBI REVERSE ITS ORDER SOUNDING DEATH KNELL OF IFASI TOTALLY DISAGREE, WAHTEVER AMFI HAS APROVED WILL BECOME VOID AFTER JAN 2013 WHEN SEBIS DIKTAT WILL COME INTO FORCE SO THERE IS NO REASON TO REJOICE

Dear Friends, all forms and details of membership to FIFA are available on www.fifaindia.org. Just to bring to everyone's notice that through the various interactions that FIFA has had with AMFI, AMFI has now formed a sub-committee to make the points to represent to SEBI on the Direct issue. FIFA has also been asked to submit it's views on the Direct issue to AMFI for it to submit to SEBI. One more effort of FIFA has been that ARN holders have been exempted from the Investment Advisory Regulation. It is our endeavour to keep engaging AMFI and SEBI with our concerns irrespective of the outcome. We are very sure that success will come to us IFAs even if it comes in small steps and measures. We will not give up and will keep trying to get our concerns across to all stakeholders. All we require is the support of serious and likeminded IFAs such as yourselves. If anyone has any feedback for us, please do get in touch through our website www.fifaindia.org. In Unity is Strenght.

It is a grear iniceative.Congrates..Can I becocome member?

MF advisors have been getting a raw deal, and with no reprieve in sight. We continue to survive these difficult times only because our clients have kept us in business. Going by the past, it would be a mistake to expect that either SEBI or AMFI would be sensitive to even our genuine concerns. In such a situation, the path chosen by Mr. Dhruv Mehta / FIFA is extremely commendable and praiseworthy; especially when the dice is so heavily loaded against them. Thank you Mr. Dhruv Mehta & Team FIFA. God Bless You!!

I feel FIFA is doing good job we should support it and become it's members.I hope the interaction with Sebi and Amfi is must from time to time.We wish that Fifa goes long way.My sincere wishes are with it.

well done

NICE

They should not attract only media but work. What happened recent meeting with SEBI . SEBI implimented what they have decided.

I want to be member Please let me know how and what formalities have to be completed.

They must realize its AMFI duty to represent SEBI and not any distributors. They should have engaged with AMFI and convince them to represent. AMFI and AMC have been taking refuse that FIFA have already represented and you know SEBI is not agreeing. One must understand where one can and should influence and work accordingly. They have no right to pretend, act and represent all IFA in India if they don’t have representation form all.

Some observations and suggestions Since the time FIFA has been formed things are getting worse than before. Why they are intruding their legs every where with no result. Since beginning they are unnecessary attracting media which has proven to be harmful. Can somebody just list one achievement in term of positive results? FIFA asked for entry load which was not required and put distributors in bad light. They are not able to convince AMFI to official represent SEBI on direct issue. I Instead they have gone themselves unprepared to SEBI and came back with bad news.

It is a good move to represent the IFAs, MF Distribution network. We need to work towards expanding the reach across all the smaller cities. I feel, for a better penetration in Mutual funds investment to the investing public, if the Mutual funds gets tax benefit over and above 80C limit. This would attract lots of investors towards Mutual fund. It is better to represent through regional IFA Associations.

There are many IFA association working in India at present. Now a federation of IFA is need of the hour and FIFA shold take a lead role on it.

I hereby come forward as one of the thought leaders for this noble cause.Instead of through this common platform, I would appreciate to be in touch with Mr. Dhruv and other active members through my email mobile separately.Wise advisor ARN 1234 seems to be a frustrated investor who had a bitter experience from one of our fraternity members.

All said and done FIFA has not been able to stop the order of the direct investor class.It is important for the full country's IFAs to get together to have this modified as it will be a direct hit to the already injured IFA community. For this FIFA should join hands with IFA Galaxy and the Delhi based organisation ( under Mr Bharat Bhushan)and make joint representations to SEBI, AMFI and the AMCs. None of the south india associations nor any IFAs from that region are members of FIFA. Rest of the issues like knowledge sharing etc. are good initiatives which can go side by side.

FIFA is the need of the hour!More co-ordination is required and try to enroll every IFA from all corners of the country.Region or zone wise forum is required for better representation.

FIFA proved it's presence and need in the industry.

Hi Mr. Surendra Kumar Singh, Just log in to www.fifaindia.org and the forms are available on-line for the membership.

Thanks to the hard work put in by Dhruv and others, we have a body that truly represents our cause. The momentum not only needs to be maintained but stepped up.

I wants to become a member of FIFA,