Hi folks, been awhile since PGCS kicked off. mumbai and hyd folks did us proud with their awesome high impact projects. delhi and bangalore cs should slowly be taking shape and am sure we shud be expecting some great work from them too. …
Hi folks,
been awhile since PGCS kicked off. mumbai and hyd folks did us proud with their awesome high impact projects. delhi and bangalore cs should slowly be taking shape and am sure we shud be expecting some great work from them too.
Now, the question is, how should we proceed, going forward ? It might be a bit too early since PGCS hasnt snowballed yet, but its always better being prepared and debating out various options.
My question to you is : how do we expand the scope of PGCS, make it more sustainable, reach out to enlist more volunteers and have more impact over all ?
Your suggestions please.
I am also creating a poll so we can see what we feel about the issue of whether PGCS should be brought under a registered organization, in the future.
Note the -ve points with getting a NGO registered :
1. till now we have been working in a very distributed fashion. no rules. no boundaries. no one who tells us this is what we shud be doing. creating a more formal organization might take away from it.
2. there are umpteen NGOs around. why one more ?
3. we havent done enough projects to be able to call ourselves a significant organization
4. how do we handle any administrative hassles with having a registered NGO ? who is accountable ?
5. we dont want to lose, what can be called "open source CS" ( 
) that PG junta does - its unique how folks just get together and do stuff - no limits
6. do we need to restrict ourselves to some specific types of projects that we do ? not necessarily, but getting registered could mean a more focussed approach on selecting the projects, which is not necessarily a good thing.
the counterpoints, i.e +ve points for getting a NGO registered are :
1. there will be structure and more credibility. we wud be able to enlist volunteers more easily. its easier asking school kids to join an org, than asking telling them about PG.com which they might not be able to relate to immediately.
2. at some point of time, some projects wud be better done if there was a way of collecting donations. its easier done if u are a registered org.
3. reality is ... community service is good stuff to put in ur resume. volunteering with a registered org. means u can put stuff in ur resume. it will be easier to attract ppl when they see tangible personal benefits to volunteering, over and above the satisfaction of doing something to give back to society.
Please debate this !
Note the -ve points with getting a NGO registered :
1. till now we have been working in a very distributed fashion. no rules. no boundaries. no one who tells us this is what we shud be doing. creating a more formal organization might take away from it.
2. there are umpteen NGOs around. why one more ?
3. we havent done enough projects to be able to call ourselves a significant organization
4. how do we handle any administrative hassles with having a registered NGO ? who is accountable ?
5. we dont want to lose, what can be called "open source CS" () that PG junta does - its unique how folks just get together and do stuff - no limits
6. do we need to restrict ourselves to some specific types of projects that we do ? not necessarily, but getting registered could mean a more focussed approach on selecting the projects, which is not necessarily a good thing.
true..
the counterpoints, i.e +ve points for getting a NGO registered are :
1. there will be structure and more credibility. we wud be able to enlist volunteers more easily. its easier asking school kids to join an org, than asking telling them about PG.com which they might not be able to relate to immediately.
True but it aint tht difficult explainin.. either is it??
2. at some point of time, some projects wud be better done if there was a way of collecting donations. its easier done if u are a registered org.
PG.com has already received newspaper coverage.. so u can always show ppl the cuttings.. (though it wud actually be better if u were an registered organization)
3. reality is ... community service is good stuff to put in ur resume. volunteering with a registered org. means u can put stuff in ur resume. it will be easier to attract ppl when they see tangible personal benefits to volunteering, over and above the satisfaction of doing something to give back to society.
hmm.. thts not y ur doing this right.. if u get tht benefit fine..!! if u dont fine..!! u cant convert PGCS into an org just cuz u need 2 add things 2 ur resume right.. if it gets converted then of course u can add.. so i guess this is no reason 2 debate at all..
all in all.. i will say tht it is too early right now..
but even if at a later date this is done.. then their shud b something diff b/w us n other NGO's we will havta plan things that way.. but dont u think its way 2 early 2 contemplate such things???
Cheers
WOW!!!! 
I sincerely feel its way too early to even think abt something like this.
Lets talk abt the things we've done so far:
1. Hyderabad - Spoken English Classes
2. Hyderabad - Newsletter
3. Hyderabad - Mock UNGA - Underway
4. Mumbai - Computers, Etiquette etc Classes.
5. Mumbai - Camp for the physically challenged
6. Bangalore - Bought a years stationary for Rakum
7. Bangalore - we did something else too, plz throw some light on that
8. Delhi - We did an auditing project with Pratham.
9. Delhi - Trying to work out ways to help Prayas
1. I sincerely dont think we've done enough to warrant an NGO label on ourselves. We have miles to go before we do that.
2. Right now we shud try to rope in more ppl, and take up more projects.
3. Our focus will get shifted to doing more administrative tasks than ground work if we were to register ourselves as an NGO.
4. Finally, whats the need? All the NGOs we r working with, are doing a fab job. Whats the need to set up a parallel structure?
Tera post padha ke mera foundation hee hil gaya. 
My 2 paise... :)
We've certainly achieved a lot in a very less time :). From a mere forum post this spring to a whopping international conference by winter... talk about quantum leaps !!!
However, it is never too early or too late to register PGCS as an NGO, because mere registration doesn't mean anything. Furthermore, it is not at all compulsory for NGOs in India to be registered. Any non-profit-distributing (Not non-profit-making!) body in India can call itself an NGO without any registration.
Oh! then why do some NGOs register themselves?
Because they cant receive donations from anybody unless they are registered. Thats the only advantage of registering.
Hardly 20 percent of India's NGOs are registered. None of Narmada Bachao Aandolan, Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan... the standing pillars among Indian NGOs (however fraud ) are registered. Reason? Registration in India germinates a plethora of hassles, which hinder in the process of the working of the society. How come? Here's how...
What does one have to do for registration?
An org can register itself under either the Indian Societies Act or the Charitable Trusts Act. (In four states including Maharasthra, an NGO desiring to register itself has to register under both the Acts)
The requirements for both Acts: the declaration of a SEVEN MEMBER GOVERNING COUNCIL by the NGO, where none of the seven members must be blood-related, and there should be participation from at least two religions. Besides, a Rs 100 registration fee, and one week's time for the form processing. Once registered, trust can then enrol people as members.
What else?
1) Every one or two years the trust has to conduct elections for its governing council under the scrutiny of an observer from the Registration Office.
2) The complete auditing/financial details of the trust have to be submitted to the Registration Office every year.
The hassles?
1) If any member from the public applies for membership, the trust has to accept it. Any damn guy on the face of this country can apply.
2) During the compulsory yearly elections, anybody registered as member can stand for a seat in the governing council. The occurrence of 'hostile takeovers' is not rare in such cases. Moreover, the organization becomes victim to dirty politics.
3) An accountant has to be hired, an official Current bank account has to be maintained.
Tough stuff. The solution?
After a series of hostile takeovers of trusts in the seventies, the government rectified the problem by allowing NGOs to register under the Companies Act, which removes the rule for compulsory yearly elections and public memberships. However, another problem arose: under the Companies Act, all NGOs had to add Private Limited at the end of their names. Since this defeated their purpose as a social organization, an amendment was made in the constitution, and a special provision under Section 25 of the Companies Act allowed non-profit orgs to drop the Private Limited from their name.
This came off as the best option for Indian NGOs to register themselves. However, getting this registration is not easy. Registration as a company involves a few thousands of money, there is stricter financial and legal vigilance etc etc.
To avoid all this bunkum, NGOs just dont register themselves. And its not illegal.
How do they accept donations then?
Murky channels and fake savings bank accounts
Summing up, the two registration options before PGCS are:
1) Societies and Charitable Trusts Act
2) Companies Act
The only enhancement for PGCS?
We can accept donations from others.
Is it worth it ? 😃
awesome post apurv ! With this additional info in perspective, i dont think theres anything to debate upon 😛
Wow..that is SOME research there Apurv. Superb!! Now if you hadn't done that, we all would be forever in limbo .. Thanks for the time taken off in collecting the info and presenting it over !
The only enhancement for PGCS?
We can accept donations from others.
From where I see it..all pain and no gain
We will live another day to get this issue out in the open 😉