Chartered Arbitrator

Chartered Arbitrator (CHA) 

A Professional Specialized Skill Training Program by Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI)

• Eligibility: Any Basic Qualification or any Formal Education with Post Graduate Diploma or Masters along with any prior work experience.

• Total Fees: Rs. 10,000/-
  (Everything Included from Admission, Course Fees and Delivery of Certificate, no additional Fees Apart from it)

• Mode: Online

• Study Material:  Will be provided through Learning Dashboard/Portal

• Learning Type: Self Paced

• Duration:  3 Months (Preferably, but can be completed anytime as soon as you give the Exam)

• Enrollment:  Any Time, there is no Fixed Enrolment Date or Day. A candidate can choose any time and the enrolment will be processed real time.

• Exam: One Online Exam, MCQ and Subjective Type Questions of 100 Marks. Passing Marks 40%. If unsuccessful, you can give additional two attempts.

• Procedure: Fill the Apply Now Form →  Pay the Requisite Amount of Fees by Clicking Pay Now Button → Then Click on Payment Confirmation button and fill the form with all the Details → Then login to the Dashboard.

Course Overview

In modern commercial jurisprudence, the designation of an arbitrator carries judicial responsibility, requiring profound impartiality, procedural mastery, and decisional integrity. Rapid economic expansion and cross-border commercial transactions have caused traditional court dockets to overflow, driving high-value corporate, infrastructure, and maritime disputes into private arbitral forums. As a result, the commercial ecosystem demands adjudicators of the highest pedigree—professionals who combine substantive domain knowledge with unassailable procedural competence. The Chartered Arbitrator (CHA) program, offered by the Indian Arbitration Institution (IAI), represents the pinnacle of specialized training, designed to mold senior professionals into authoritative, court-respected adjudicators capable of presiding over complex arbitral tribunals.

Unlike foundational arbitration courses that emphasize advocacy or counsel representation, the CHA curriculum is built entirely from the perspective of the decision-maker. Candidates are immersed in the complete anatomy of arbitral management, from navigating initial conflicts of interest and issuing early procedural orders to managing contentious hearings and formulating final, enforceable awards. The course bridges procedural statutory frameworks with international best practices, ensuring that participants understand how to exercise judicial discretion equitably while strictly complying with the mandates of natural justice.

Participants explore the complexities of handling multi-party and multi-contract actions, evaluating competing expert testimonies, determining jurisdictional challenges under the principle of Kompetenz-Kompetenz, and issuing effective interim measures. Furthermore, the curriculum emphasizes the craft of award writing—training candidates to structure reasoned, legally sound, and unambiguous awards capable of withstanding scrutiny under domestic challenge procedures and international enforcement conventions.

By completing this credential, practitioners demonstrate to dispute parties, appointing institutions, and corporate boards that they possess the seasoned judgment, ethical grounding, and procedural acumen necessary to serve as sole arbitrators or tribunal chairs. The CHA credential serves as a definitive mark of adjudicative excellence, preparing seasoned professionals from diverse technical and legal backgrounds to lead commercial dispute resolution with authority and distinction.

Course Structure and Modules

The tentative modules are as follows and are subject to continuous updates based on guidelines issued by the IAI Board of Skill Studies:

Module 1: The Jurisprudential Architecture of the Arbitrator's Office

• Historical evolution, statutory authority, and judicial status of the private adjudicator.

• Constitutional and statutory boundaries governing arbitral decision-making.

• The interplay between national courts, supervisory seats, and arbitral authority.

Module 2: Tribunal Appointment, Independence, and Ethical Mandates

• Mechanisms for sole arbitrator and three-member tribunal constitution.

• Standards of disclosure, apparent bias, and tests under IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest.

• Navigating challenge procedures, arbitrator resignation, and removal protocols.

Module 3: Jurisdictional Competence and Preliminary Determinations

• Applying the doctrine of Separability and the principle of Kompetenz-Kompetenz.

• Adjudicating threshold challenges regarding arbitrability, limitation, and non-signatories.

• Bifurcation of proceedings between jurisdictional merits and quantum.

Module 4: Case Management Conferences and Procedural Directions

• Structuring the preliminary meeting and establishing the procedural timetable.

• Drafting clear, effective Procedural Orders (PO-1 and subsequent directions).

• Balancing party autonomy, procedural fairness, cost control, and rapid resolution.

Module 5: Interim Relief, Emergency Measures, and Tribunal Orders

• Statutory standards for granting interim protective measures.

• Balancing tests for prima facie case, balance of convenience, and irreparable injury.

• Coordination and jurisdictional boundaries with court-ordered interim relief.

Module 6: Evidentiary Admissibility, Hearing Management, and Witness Scrutiny

• Rules of evidence, admissibility, and document production standards (IBA Rules of Evidence).

• Presiding over virtual, physical, and hybrid evidentiary hearings.

• Managing witness cross-examination, expert witness conferences, and tribunal-appointed experts.

Module 7: Deliberation, Decision-Making, and Reasoned Award Drafting

• Tribunal deliberations, evaluating quantum, and determining interest and cost allocations.

• Drafting substantive components of reasoned awards: jurisdictional findings, analysis of facts, and operative clauses.

• Correcting, interpreting, and issuing supplementary awards within statutory limits.

Module 8: Post-Award Challenges, Recognition, and Global Enforcement

• Analyzing grounds for challenge: procedural irregularity, patent illegality, and public policy.

• Ensuring award enforceability under the New York and Geneva Conventions.

• Emerging trends: investor-state dispute settlement, institutional rules harmonization, and AI in adjudication.

Importance of Doing this Course

Serving as an arbitrator requires a fundamental shift in mental framework—from partisan advocacy to objective, judicial deliberation. The Chartered Arbitrator (CHA) program provides this cognitive and professional transformation. While many seasoned lawyers and domain experts possess deep technical knowledge, few receive structured, rigorous training in the procedural art of presiding over an adversarial hearing and writing a legally durable award. Undertaking this course equips candidates with the operational and judicial discipline necessary to conduct proceedings with fairness and administrative control.

Additionally, this course provides significant protection against procedural defects that can derail arbitration proceedings. A flawed procedural direction, an improper handling of evidentiary admissibility, or an inadequately reasoned award can result in setting aside proceedings under domestic law or refusal of enforcement abroad. The CHA curriculum systematically addresses these vulnerabilities, instilling the rigorous procedural habits needed to deliver awards that resist judicial challenges.

For senior professionals—including retired judges, senior advocates, corporate general counsels, chartered accountants, and infrastructure specialists—the CHA credential offers formal validation of adjudicative readiness. It signals to arbitral institutions, appointing bodies, and disputing parties that the holder possesses the specialized competence, moral fortitude, and technical mastery required to manage complex disputes fairly, expeditiously, and authoritatively.

Career Prospects

The Chartered Arbitrator (CHA) designation positions professionals for senior-level appointments and leadership roles across the alternative dispute resolution ecosystem.

Independent Arbitrator and Panel Adjudicator: Graduates can secure appointments as sole arbitrators, party-nominated co-arbitrators, or tribunal presiding chairs in high-value commercial, construction, and corporate disputes. The qualification provides a clear credential for inclusion on the empanelment rosters of premier domestic and international arbitral institutions.

Tribunal Chair and Dispute Board Member: In long-term public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements, infrastructure projects, and engineering undertakings, mega-contracts frequently establish standing Dispute Adjudication Boards (DABs) and Dispute Review Boards (DRBs). CHA credential holders are well-suited to chair these bodies and resolve multi-crore disputes before they reach full-scale litigation.

Senior Dispute Resolution Counsel and Practice Head: For law firm partners and senior legal counsel, completing the CHA credential provides an authoritative perspective on tribunal dynamics. This insight enables practitioners to anticipate arbitrator expectations, refine hearing strategy, and lead specialized arbitration practice groups.

Corporate Ombudsperson and Institutional ADR Director: Multinational corporations, financial institutions, and statutory regulatory authorities seek certified dispute resolution professionals to lead in-house dispute management divisions, design corporate ADR policies, or direct operations within institutional arbitral centers.

Necessary Details

The Indian Arbitration Institution ensures that this advanced training is delivered through a modern, flexible, and fully transparent digital architecture tailored to working professionals.

Eligibility To maintain the professional rigor expected of an adjudicative program, candidates must have:

• Any Basic Qualification or Formal Education, coupled with a Post Graduate Diploma or Master's Degree, along with prior work experience.

This criterion ensures that every participant possesses the intellectual maturity and commercial perspective required to analyze high-level arbitral disputes.

Total Fees The all-inclusive fee for the program is Rs. 10,000/-. This single charge covers all aspects of the program: registration, learning portal access, evaluation, and the physical delivery of the Certificate. There are no additional or hidden charges at any stage.

Mode and Study Material The program is delivered entirely Online, offering global accessibility. All curated study modules, procedural templates, landmark arbitral decisions, model procedural orders, and reference guides are provided through the dedicated Learning Dashboard/Portal.

Learning Type and Duration The course follows a Self-Paced learning methodology. While the recommended duration is 3 Months, candidates have the flexibility to complete the modules and appear for the examination on an accelerated schedule as soon as they have mastered the material.

Enrollment Enrollment is open Any Time, with no fixed enrollment dates or restricted intake cycles. Candidates can register at any time, and registrations are processed in real time, granting instant access to the course portal.

Examination Structure Certification is awarded upon clearing One Online Exam of 100 Marks, comprising both Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and Subjective Type Questions:

• Passing Marks: 40%

• Re-examination Policy: Candidates who do not achieve a passing score on their initial attempt receive two additional attempts at no extra cost.

Application Procedure

1. Apply: Complete the Apply Now Form on the official portal.

2. Pay: Remit the requisite fee of Rs. 10,000/- via the secure Pay Now gateway.

3. Confirm: Select the Payment Confirmation button and complete the verification form with your registration and transaction details.

4. Access: Log directly into the Learning Dashboard to start your training.