Mumbai: Financial Planning Corporation (India) Pvt Ltd (FPCIL) and ICICI Securities announced a strategic association for promoting financial planning and certified financial planner (CFP) certification.

Under the agreement, ICICI Securities has been empanelled as an education partner with FPCIL for delivering the education for CFP certification program across India. ICICI Securities will be conducting these programs under the ICICI Direct Centre for Financial Learning, its knowledge initiative.

"The joint initiative would help in enhancing the scalability of education of CFP certification program and also increase the opportunities for candidates for the desired industry interface while pursuing the CFP certification program," FPCIL managing director Ranjeet S Mudholkar told reporters here.

ICICI Securities believes that this association will help in establishing industry-led benchmarks for the education and skill-enhancement in the financial planning domain along with establishing CFP credentials as preferred qualification for the financial sector.

"The ICICI Direct Centre for Financial Learning aims at simplifying financial knowledge and increasing financial literacy among prospective or experienced investors and knowledge seekers. There is an enormous need for certified financial professionals in India who can understand and service the financial needs of Indians," ICICI Securities executive vice president and head-product & distribution Vineet Arora said.

At present, in India over 24,000 individuals have enrolled for the CFP certification program and over 3,500 individuals have passed all modules of CFP certification exam.