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How To Register Society / Trust / NGO Registration in India?

A society is a group of people involved with each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping which voluntarily joins together, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations incorporated under Society Registration Act, 1860 to promote generous, social welfare, helpful, religious, charitable, educational, professional or any other useful object but not for the purpose of carrying on any trade, industry or business. A society, though not a corporation, is a legal entity and it can be described in a particular name for a purpose.

As per Section 20 of Society Registration Act, 1860, the societies with following objectives may be registered under this Act:-
Charitable Societies, The Military Orphan Funds or Societies established at the several presidencies of India Societies established for the promotion of science, literature, or the fine arts, for instruction, the diffusion of useful knowledge, (the diffusion of Political education),The formation or maintenance of libraries or reading-rooms for general use among the members and the public,The formation or maintenance of public museums , painting gallaries and other works of arts, collection of natural history, mechanical and philosophical inventions, instruments or designs.
The procedure varies from state to state. Any seven or more persons associated for any scientific, literary or charitable purposes can apply for Registration of a society. No limit of maximum number of members is prescribed in the act. For registering a society, following documents needs to be prepared and submitted to the Registrar.

As per Section 20 of Society Registration Act, 1860, the societies with following objectives may be registered under this Act:-

Memorandum of Association(MOA): Major Contents are Name of the Society, Working Area, Address of Registered Office, Aims and Object of the Society, Name address, occupation of the Governing body members, desirous persons.

Rules & Regulation: Major contents are Name of the Association, Admissions of members, Subscription, Cessation of Membership, Rights and privilege of members, Powers and functions of General Body members, Meetings, Election, Power and duties of Office bearers, Quorum of meeting etc

These documents needs to be certified by at least three members of the governing body and should be filled along with the MOA:

Proof of Identity & Address of Governing Body Members
Address of the registered office and Consent
NOC of the owner of the address of Registered Office Premises
A fee of Rupees fifty is required to be paid
Name of the Society should not be identical with any existing society, registered under the Societies
Registration Act, 1860. The name of the Society also should not be undesirable

Difference between Trust and Society

S. No.	Basis of Difference	Trust	Society
1.	Registration under	Indian Trust Act, 1882	Societies Registration Act, 1860
2.	Minimum Members	TwoJ	Seven
3.	Area of Activities	All over India, Without mentioning in Deed	Separate registration for All India level (8- different states members required)
4.	Nature of control	One man control, i.e. SETTLER	Democracy system
5.	Possibility of amendment	Easy, by a supplementary Trust Deed	Difficult, amendment in MOA and R&R both.
6.	Name Availability	Easily available J	Difficulty in availability
7.	Bank a/c operation	One person, Settler	Two persons, either President or Secretary and Treasurer
8.	Holding of office	Trustees generally hold office for whole life	hold office for period of time and may stand for re-election
9.	Winding-up	Trust is generally irrevocable, Can not be wound-up	wound up if 3/5th of the members, so desireJ
10.	Family Members	Can become trustee	Objection in becoming members of the Governing Body
11.	Examples	Mother Teresa Charitable trust Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust	Trade Associations
12.	Govern by	Board of Trustee	Governing Body
13.	Main Instruments	Trust Deed	Memorandum Of Association & Rules and regulation
14.	Objects	General objectives	Specific objectives -prescribed
15.	Eligible for Income Tax Exemption after Registration u/s 12A & 80G
16.	Eligible for receiving Foreign Contribution after Registration under FCRA
17.	Eligible for receiving Govt. grants and benefits
18.	Profits shall not be distributed to the Trustee/ Members