SMEI Certification Policies and Procedures

(Rev November 18, 2006)

Application:

1. Examinations must be taken within 365 days of application approval date.
2. After 365 days, applicants must reapply and pay the full application fee.
3. Applicants may apply to SMEI for one 6 month extension of the examination deadline providing they apply in writing and include the reason for the request. A fee of Rs 4000 will be charged for any extension granted. The application must be received at registration@smei-india.org 60 days in advance of the original 365 day deadline.
4. Applications must be made via the SMEI web site or using an approved SMEI Certification Application Form.

Fees:

1. The fee for all new applications includes the cost of application, an SMEI proprietary text, access to SMEI online resources and a proctored SMEI examination. 
2. Fees are due with application.  Applications received without fees will be rejected.
3. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Examination Timing:

1. Examinations must be taken within 365 days of application approval date.
2. After 365 days, applicants must reapply and pay the full application fee.
3. Applicants may apply to SMEI for one 6 month extension of the examination deadline providing they apply in writing and include the reason for the request.  A fee of $100 will be charged for any extension granted.  The application must be received at admin@smei.org 60 days in advance of the original 365 day deadline.  

Remedial Examinations:

1. Failure of First Examination Attempt:  
   * Applicants who fail the certification exam may rewrite the examination any time within 6 months of the original examination date. A fee will be charged for a remedial examination.
   * Failure of Remedial Examination:  Applicants who fail their first remedial examination may rewrite the examination after a minimum waiting period of 3 months from the date of the 1st remedial examination and not more than 6 months after. A fee will be charged for a remedial examination. 
2. Failure of 2nd Remedial Examination: 
   Applicants who fail their 2nd remedial examination:
   * May not rewrite within 365 days of the date of the 2nd remedial examination. 
   * Applicants who fail their 2nd remedial examination wishing to retake the examination must reapply and pay the full certification application and testing fee.
3. Partial rewrites are not permitted.
4. Remedial examination fees are non-refundable.

Examination Proctors:

Applicants are responsible for providing a suitable proctor to supervise their examination.  A suitable proctor would be an individual to whom the applicant is subordinate in an employer, employee relationship; an instructor or professor at a recognized post-secondary institution; an officer, director or executive director of an SMEI affiliate who is certified; an officer or director of the SMEI Board who is certified or such other person as authorized by the President of SMEI.

Maintenance of Good Standing:

1. Certified individuals in good standing may apply for "Certification Emeritus" status at age 62 providing they have maintained their certification status for the previous 5 year period and they are permanently retired.
2. Certified individuals must provide evidence of a minimum of 20 hours of qualified continuing education in each one-year period in order to renew their certification
   status.  SMEI renewal guidelines will be issued as to eligibility of specific programs and activities that qualify as continuing education. Certified individuals must report their activities yearly at the time they apply for renewal of their certification. Failure to provide such evidence or failure to complete 20 hours over the one-year period will require passing the current written examination for the applicable certification designation.
3. Certification Renewal Fee is payable at each 1-year anniversary.
4. Individuals who let their certification lapse may apply for reinstatement within 6 months from the lapse date and will be required to pay a fee for reinstatement for each designation in addition to the annual renewal fee.
5. Individuals who let their certification lapse for more than 6 months must reapply for certification and pay the prevailing application fee and must pass the examination in order to have their designation reinstated.
6. Certified individuals found to be acting in violation of the SMEI Code of Ethics in the opinion of the Accreditation Board of Trustees will have the right to use their SMEI professional designation revoked.

SMEI Module:

All certification examinations include a module covering SMEI, background information, history, founding principles and the SMEI Code of Ethics.