Quick facts (official CSI exam structure)
- Proctored (remote or in-person at a test centre)
- Duration: 2 Hours
- Question format: Multiple-choice
- Questions: 75
- Attempts allowed per exam: 3
- Passing grade: 60%
- Hours of Study (CSI estimate): 60 – 75 Hours
What IDSC is really testing
IDSC is a supervisor exam. It tends to reward candidates who can:
- choose the right supervision structure and review cadence
- apply the gatekeeper mindset (stop harm, document, escalate)
- recognize risk themes and match them to controls (prevent/detect/correct)
- enforce account opening/documentation quality
- supervise client accounts and trading activity using exception thinking
- handle complaints and regulators with evidence preservation and disciplined communications
Official topic weighting (and target question counts)
Source: CSI IDSC Exam & Credits page. Target questions are proportional to 75 questions (rounded).
| Exam Topics |
Weight |
Target questions (out of 75) |
Chapters (CSI curriculum) |
| Supervision Requirements and Skills |
19% |
14 |
1–3 |
| Rules, Responsibilities, and Risk Management |
24% |
18 |
4–6, 8 |
| Account Opening and Documentation |
20% |
15 |
7 |
| Supervision and Client Accounts |
22% |
17 |
9–10 |
| Complaint Handling and the Consequences of Noncompliance |
15% |
11 |
11–12 |
How to prepare (practical strategy)
- Use the Syllabus as your checklist by weighting.
- Build your “supervisor playbook” from the Cheatsheet (review triggers + escalation cues + documentation discipline).
- Drill scenarios: “what is the risk theme?” → “what is the first correct action?” → “what evidence is required?”
- Do weekly timed mixed sets; keep a miss log with: cue, rule/theme, best next step.
✅ Next: open the Study Plan or jump into the Syllabus.
Sources: https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/idsc/curriculum and https://www.csi.ca/en/learning/courses/idsc/exam-credits