Professional associations
Topic: Civil Society, Pressure Groups, NGOs and Self-help Groups · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Professional associations are pressure groups of people in the same profession, such as doctors, lawyers or teachers. They speak for their members on how the profession is regulated and on working conditions. They also comment on public policy in their field. They are a kind of associational group, which means they are formally organised for one interest.
Example
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), founded in 1928, speaks for doctors on health policy and medical rules. Bar associations of lawyers and teachers' unions play a similar role for their professions.
Don't confuse with
- Trade unions: trade unions mainly bargain over workers' wages and conditions. Professional associations speak for skilled professions and their standards.
- Student bodies: groups such as ABVP (1949), SFI (1970) and NSUI (1971) speak for students, not for working professionals.