NISM Launches Cybersecurity Courses for GIFT IFSC: Dates, Fees and Exam Pattern

The National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) launched two certification courses on cybersecurity and cyber resilience for the GIFT International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) on 12 October 2026, according to GKToday. The Basic course (NISM-IFSCA-02A) takes effect from 18 November 2026 and the Advanced course (NISM-IFSCA-02B) from 30 December 2026. As of 15 October 2026, the launch has happened, but neither examination has started.

NISM cybersecurity courses for GIFT IFSC: what happened

GKToday, in a post dated 12 October 2026, reports that NISM Director Sashi Krishnan and International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) Chairperson K. Rajaraman launched the programmes. GIFT IFSC is in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Both courses deal with cybersecurity and cyber-risk awareness in the IFSC ecosystem.

NISM's own communiqué for the Advanced course is dated 7 October 2026. It says the course was developed under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NISM and IFSCA and is aligned with Clause 8.4 of the IFSCA Guidelines on Training and Awareness. The circular date (7 October) and the launch event date reported by GKToday (12 October) are different, so keep them separate when revising.

Event status as of 15 October 2026

NISM's circular says study material for the Advanced course would be available for download from 7 October 2026 in the Study Material section of its website. The supplied evidence does not show whether the Basic course's study material has been released.

Course comparison

The two certifications differ in format, passing mark, fee and validity. The figures below come from GKToday's report.

What the Basic course covers

The Basic curriculum, as reported, spans these areas:

• cyber threats
• governance and risk management
• security architecture
• asset and access management
• third-party risk
• application and data security
• vulnerability management
• cyber hygiene
• incident response and recovery

It also introduces cybersecurity challenges linked to Artificial Intelligence and quantum computing.

What the Advanced course covers

The Advanced programme builds on existing cybersecurity knowledge. GKToday lists governance, risk management, cyber-incident preparedness, resilience, cybersecurity applications across key domains and regulatory requirements for GIFT IFSC entities. NISM's circular says the course is meant for the following people:

• CISOs (Chief Information Security Officers)
• Principal Officers
• Designated Officers
• Compliance Officers of Regulated Entities
• other individuals defined by IFSCA through its circulars

Its stated aim is to strengthen the cyber resilience capabilities of key function holders and their understanding of regulatory expectations in GIFT IFSC.

Institutional background for revision

• NISM is an educational and capacity-building institution established by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI); GKToday gives the year as 2006.
• IFSCA is the unified regulator for financial services in India's international financial services centres and is headquartered at GIFT City, Gujarat. The IFSCA Act was enacted in 2019.
• GIFT IFSC sits within Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) in Gandhinagar.

For exam preparation, the useful link is between a securities-market education body (NISM), a financial-centre regulator (IFSCA) and a cybersecurity-focused certification. This page does not claim that any exam will ask about this topic.

Limits of the available evidence

• The launch date of 12 October 2026 and the names of the launching officials come from GKToday only. The NISM circular supplied here does not mention the launch event.
• Basic-course details (exam pattern, fee, validity, 18 November start) come from GKToday. The supplied NISM page for the Basic circular shows only its title and date, 7 October 2026.
• The Advanced circular's Annexures I and II and the registration details were not included in the evidence, so eligibility conditions and the registration process are not covered here. NISM says these are available at www.nism.ac.in.
• The evidence does not explain how the two courses relate to any mandatory requirement for individual candidates beyond the Advanced circular's description of its target group.

FAQ

When do the NISM-IFSCA cybersecurity exams begin?

GKToday reports that the Basic programme takes effect from 18 November 2026 and the Advanced programme from 30 December 2026. NISM's circular confirms the Advanced examination date. Both dates were still in the future as of 15 October 2026.

Which course is for senior compliance and security officers?

NISM's circular describes the Advanced course (NISM-IFSCA-02B) as meant for CISOs, Principal Officers, Designated Officers, Compliance Officers of Regulated Entities and other individuals defined by IFSCA.

Practice MCQs

Question 1

Which course code denotes the Advanced certification on cyber security and cyber resilience in the GIFT IFSC?

1. NISM-IFSCA-02A
2. NISM-IFSCA-02B
3. NISM-IFSCA-01B
4. NISM-IFSCA-03A

Answer: NISM-IFSCA-02B — NISM's circular names the Advanced course NISM-IFSCA-02B, while 02A is the Basic course.

Question 2

What is the examination fee, inclusive of taxes, for the Basic certification as reported by GKToday?

1. ₹500
2. ₹1,180
3. ₹2,950
4. ₹3,500

Answer: ₹1,180 — GKToday gives ₹1,180 for the Basic course, while ₹2,950 is the Advanced course fee.

Question 3

From which date is the NISM-IFSCA-02B examination available to candidates?

1. 7 October 2026
2. 12 October 2026
3. 18 November 2026
4. 30 December 2026

Answer: 30 December 2026 — NISM's circular states the Advanced examination is available w.e.f. 30 December 2026.

Question 4

What minimum score is required to pass the Advanced certification examination?

1. 40 per cent
2. 50 per cent
3. 60 per cent
4. 75 per cent

Answer: 60 per cent — GKToday reports that the Advanced exam requires a score of at least 60 per cent, whereas the Basic exam requires 50 per cent.

Question 5

In which city and state is GIFT IFSC located?

1. Gandhinagar, Gujarat
2. Ahmedabad, Gujarat
3. Mumbai, Maharashtra
4. Surat, Gujarat

Answer: Gandhinagar, Gujarat — GKToday places GIFT IFSC within Gujarat International Finance Tec-City in Gandhinagar.