Professional Bodies
Professional Bodies in India – Railway Exam Capsule
1. What is a Professional Body?
A Professional Body (also called a Professional Association or Professional Society) is a non-profit organisation that seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest. In India, most professional bodies are set up by an Act of Parliament or under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
2. Parliament-Statutory vs. Non-Statutory Bodies
| Feature | Statutory Body | Non-Statutory Body |
|---|---|---|
| Creation | Under an Act of Parliament | Under Societies Act, 1860 or as Trust |
| Legal Power | Can award charters, licences, punish members | No legal powers; self-regulation |
| Examples | ICAI, ICSI, ICMAI, AICTE, Bar Council of India | CSI, IEI, NIIT, ISTE |
3. Major Statutory Professional Bodies at a Glance
| Acronym | Full Name | Est. | HQ | Chartering Act | President (2024) | Membership (FY 2023-24) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICAI | Institute of Chartered Accountants of India | 1 Jul 1949 | New Delhi | Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 | CA. Ranjeet Kumar Agarwal | 4,00,000+ (Associates & Fellows) |
| ICSI | Institute of Company Secretaries of India | 4 Oct 1968 | New Delhi | Company Secretaries Act, 1980 | CS. B. Narasimhan | 75,000+ |
| ICMAI | Institute of Cost & Mgmt. Accountants of India | 28 May 1959 | Kolkata | Cost & Works Accountants Act, 1959 | CMA. Rakesh Bhalla | 1,10,000+ |
| Bar Council of India | Bar Council of India | 1 Dec 1961 | New Delhi | Advocates Act, 1961 | Mr. Manan Kumar Mishra | 17 Lakh+ advocates |
| AICTE | All India Council for Technical Education | Nov 1945 (statutory 1987) | New Delhi | AICTE Act, 1987 | Prof. T. G. Sitharam (Chairperson) | – |
| MCI → NMC | Medical Council of India → National Medical Commission | 1934 → 25 Sep 2020 | New Delhi | Indian Medical Council Act → NMC Act, 2019 | Dr. Suresh Chandra Sharma (NMC Chairman) | 13 Lakh+ doctors |
4. Key Dates to Remember (RRB Favourite)
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 July 1949 | ICAI constituted |
| 1 July 1949 | First CA examination held |
| 28 May 1959 | ICMAI born (earlier ICWAI) |
| 4 Oct 1968 | ICSI established |
| 1 Dec 1961 | Bar Council of India Day |
| 1980 | Company Secretaries Act passed |
| 25 Sep 2020 | MCI replaced by NMC |
| 15 Aug 2021 | CA. T. N. Manoharan became 1st CA as AICTE Chairman |
5. Non-Statutory yet Influential Bodies
| Body | Year | HQ | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Medical Association (IMA) | 1928 | Delhi | Representative body of MBBS doctors |
| Institution of Engineers (India) [IEI] | 1920 | Kolkata | Oldest multidisciplinary engineering society |
| Computer Society of India (CSI) | 1965 | Mumbai | Largest IT professional society |
| Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) | 1914 | Kolkata | Hosts annual Science Congress |
| National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM) | 1980 | Kolkata | HR professionals |
6. One-liner Rapid-Fire Facts
- ICAI is the second-largest accounting body in the world (after AICPA, USA).
- ICSI conducts only one level of examination (CSEET → Executive → Professional).
- ICMAI was originally called ICWAI (renamed in 2012).
- “CA” prefix was patented by ICAI under the Emblems & Names Act.
- Bar Council of India can disqualify an advocate for professional misconduct.
- NMC has four autonomous boards—UG & PG Medical Education, Medical Assessment & Rating, Ethics & Registration, and National Board of Examinations.
- AICTE approves 10,000+ institutions with 40 lakh+ seats.
- IEI was granted Royal Charter by King George V in 1935.
- CSI flag contains binary code 0101 representing 5 (CSI founded in 1965).
- First woman President of ICAI: CA. R. Sivabhogam (1983).
7. Table: Comparison of Chartered Exams
| Parameter | CA (ICAI) | CS (ICSI) | CMA (ICMAI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry test | Foundation (CPT→CA-Foundation) | CSEET | Foundation |
| Levels | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Articleship | 2 years | 21 months (mgmt. trainee) | 3 years (practical) |
| Passing % (Nov 2023 Final) | 11-14 % | 20-25 % | 15-18 % |
| Recognised abroad | MOU with CPA Australia, ICAEW, CICA Canada | MOU with ICSA UK | MOU with CIMA UK, CMA USA |
8. MCQ Practice Set (15+1)
Q1. Which of the following professional bodies is NOT constituted under an Act of Parliament?
A. ICAI B. ICSI C. CSI D. ICMAI
Ans: C. CSI
Q2. The Chartered Accountants Act was passed in
A. 1932 B. 1949 C. 1956 D. 1980
Ans: B. 1949
Q3. Headquarters of ICMAI is located at
A. Mumbai B. New Delhi C. Kolkata D. Chennai
Ans: C. Kolkata
Q4. Which body replaced the Medical Council of India?
A. NITI Aayog B. NMC C. AICTE D. NHA
Ans: B. NMC
Q5. Bar Council of India Day is celebrated on
A. 15 Aug B. 26 Jan C. 1 Dec D. 30 Jun
Ans: C. 1 Dec
Q6. Who among the following can award the “CA” prefix to a member?
A. ICSI B. ICAI C. AICTE D. NMC
Ans: B. ICAI
Q7. The first woman President of ICAI was
A. CA. T. N. Manoharan B. CA. R. Sivabhogam C. CA. Aniket Talati D. CA. P. Gopalakrishnan
Ans: B. CA. R. Sivabhogam
Q8. Which of the following bodies has a Royal Charter?
A. CSI B. IEI C. ICSI D. NMC
Ans: B. IEI
Q9. The entry-level test for CS course w.e.f. 2020 is
A. Foundation B. CPT C. CSEET D. CS Executive
Ans: C. CSEET
Q10. ICAI is headquartered at
A. Mumbai B. New Delhi C. Chennai D. Kolkata
Ans: B. New Delhi
Q11. Cost & Works Accountants Act is related to
A. ICAI B. ICMAI C. ICSI D. AICTE
Ans: B. ICMAI
Q12. Which professional body has the largest membership among statutory bodies listed?
A. ICSI B. ICMAI C. Bar Council of India D. ICAI
Ans: C. Bar Council of India
Q13. The maximum duration of articleship for CA is
A. 1 year B. 2 years C. 3 years D. 4 years
Ans: C. 3 years (but 2 yrs mandatory + 1 yr optional extension)
Q14. Computer Society of India was founded in
A. 1947 B. 1950 C. 1965 D. 1980
Ans: C. 1965
Q15. Which Act governs the AICTE?
A. AICTE Act, 1987 B. AICTE Act, 1948 C. Technical Act, 1961 D. Education Act, 1992
Ans: A. AICTE Act, 1987
Q16. Match the pair:
a. ICAI 1. Company Secretaries Act
b. ICSI 2. Chartered Accountants Act
c. ICMAI 3. Cost & Works Accountants Act
Choose the correct code:
A. a-2, b-1, c-3 B. a-1, b-2, c-3 C. a-3, b-2, c-1 D. a-2, b-3, c-1
Ans: A. a-2, b-1, c-3
Answers to MCQs
1-C, 2-B, 3-C, 4-B, 5-C, 6-B, 7-B, 8-B, 9-C, 10-B, 11-B, 12-C, 13-C, 14-C, 15-A, 16-A9. Quick Revision One-liners (Railway Fact-Bank)
- ICAI: 1 Jul 1949, CA Act 1949, HQ ND, largest accounting body after AICPA.
- ICSI: 4 Oct 1968, CS Act 1980, CSEET entry, 21 mths training.
- ICMAI: 28 May 1959, CWA Act 1959, Kolkata HQ, renamed from ICWAI in 2012.
- Bar Council: 1 Dec 1961, Advocates Act 1961, can debar lawyers.
- NMC: 25 Sep 2020, replaced MCI, 4 autonomous boards.
- AICTE: 1987 Act, approves 40 Lakh+ seats, 10k+ colleges.
- IEI: 1920, Royal Charter 1935, oldest engineering society.
- CSI: 1965, binary 0101 in logo, largest IT society.
Revise → Recall → Crack the RRB!
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