MCA V3 Update Highlights: Streamlining Compliance for a New Era
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Meet CS Jyoti Mittal, a driven Company Secretary and final year law enthusiast pursuing LLB from Dr. BR Ambedkar University. As a proud member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India Jyoti has a keen interest in corporate laws, labour laws, SEBI Regulations and more. An amateur blogger and avid reader, Jyoti enjoys writing articles and blogs to enhance drafting skills and share knowledge. With a passion for exploring diverse law fields and a commitment to excellence, Jyoti is dedicated to continuously learning and growing
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In its ongoing efforts to enhance corporate governance and simplify statutory compliance, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has rolled out significant updates under the MCA V3 portal. The latest changes reflect a clear push toward digitization, integration, and reduction of redundant filings — making compliance more efficient for companies across India.
Key Form Updates
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AOC-4 (Financial Statements Filing)
The AOC-4 form has been transformed into a comprehensive web-based form that now includes extracts of the Board Report and the Audit Report. This integration eliminates the need for uploading separate documents.
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AOC-1 and AOC-2 Merged
The formerly standalone forms AOC-1 (Subsidiary Accounts) and AOC-2 (Related Party Transactions) have now been integrated into the AOC-4 web form, further streamlining the filing process.
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CSR Section Removed
The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reporting section has been removed from AOC-4, allowing for focused reporting through CSR-specific forms.
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Consolidated Financial Statements (CFS)
Separate filing of CFS is no longer required. These are now linked to AOC-4, reducing compliance load.
Filing Enhancements
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Offline Excel Mode for AOC-4
Companies can now prepare and upload AOC-4 in offline Excel mode, which is particularly useful for data-heavy filings.
The shareholder list required in MGT-7 is now to be submitted in a structured Excel format, ensuring uniformity and ease of data verification.
Additional Changes Across Forms
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MGT-7/7A (Annual Return)
A notable compliance shift — companies are now required to submit interior and exterior photographs of their registered office.
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MGT-8 (Certification)
This is no longer a separate document. It has been merged into the form itself, minimizing attachments.
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ADT-1 & ADT-2 (Auditor Appointment & Resignation)
These forms have been updated to include auditor credentials and are now filed exclusively online.
Other Important Updates
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CRA-2 (Cost Auditor Appointment)
Now includes new fields specifically for merger or demerger scenarios.
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GNL-1 (Miscellaneous Filings)
Enhanced to allow filings for AGM extensions and compounding of offences.
Redesigned to include area/locality-specific information, reflecting a more localized reporting structure.
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File Size Limit Increased
The maximum upload size for AOC series forms has been raised to 10MB, accommodating more comprehensive submissions.
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CIRP/Liquidation Companies
These entities are now adequately covered under multiple forms, allowing more accurate tracking and compliance.
Increased integration between forms has reduced duplicate filing requirements, saving time and effort for companies.
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Prefilled Data and Digital Validations
Select fields are now prefilled, and digital validations have been significantly enhanced to minimize filing errors.
These MCA V3 updates represent a strategic move toward a digitally intelligent, unified compliance framework. By integrating forms, enhancing validations, and streamlining data capture, the MCA aims to reduce the administrative burden on companies, improve transparency, and ensure timely compliance.
Companies should proactively adapt to these changes and ensure that their internal compliance teams and professionals — especially Company Secretaries — are updated and trained accordingly.