This document discusses eight principles for guiding community organization in India as outlined by H.Y. Siddiqui in 1997. The principles are: 1) specific objectives tailored to different community groups, 2) meticulous planning, 3) meaningful people's participation, 4) an inter-group approach recognizing diversity, 5) democratic decision making, 6) flexible organization, 7) optimal use of local resources, and 8) cultural sensitivity. The document provides examples to illustrate each principle, such as formulating separate programs for women, anticipating potential issues in planning, and gaining community acceptance by respecting local traditions.

1. BY AMIT KUMAR MOB NO.: +919435028022/9708811272 EMAIL-amitranjanfn09@outlook.com
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DCTCL, CUJ RANCHI
WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES
BY
AMIT KUMAR
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CONTEMPORARY AND TRIBAL CUSTOMARY LAW
CENTRAL UNIVIERSITY OF JHARKHAND
Lecture 4
Principles of Community Organisation
C) In the context of working with actual practice situations in India, H.Y Siddiqui (1997) also
evolved a set of eight principles to guide community organization practitioners. These are
briefly described below:
1) The Principle of Specific Objectives
2) The Principle of Planning
3) The Principle of People’s Participation
4) The Principle of Inter-group Approach
5) The Principle of Democratic Functioning
6) The Principle of Flexible Organisation
7) The Principle of Optimum Utilisation of Indigenous Resources
8) The Principle of Cultural orientation
1. The Principle of Specific Objectives
It is difficult to organize the community as a cohesive unit, particularly in the early stages of
work. The community consists of different client groups, all of whom may have differential
needs, thus necessitating differential programmes. For example, in the Indian context, a
separate forum for women is required due to cultural constraints. The principle of specific
objectives prescribes the practice of consciously formulating specific objectives of working
with different client groups on the one hand, and formulating specific community-oriented
objectives, on the other. This enables the worker to make a beginning at the group level, which
otherwise is difficult to achieve.
2. The Principle of Planning

2. BY AMIT KUMAR MOB NO.: +919435028022/9708811272 EMAIL-amitranjanfn09@outlook.com
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DCTCL, CUJ RANCHI
The worker must adhere to meticulous planning of community work. This implies developing
a blue print for the entire work to be undertaken in terms of programmes, financial/resource
requirements, personnel requirements, space etc. Planning also helps to anticipate problems
one is likely to face in implementing the programme and devising contingency plans for
meeting them. For example, a community worker may disregard the cultural milieu of the
community and try to encourage girls to attend a coeducational school. This is an example of
lack of planning, leading to failure of the programme and even community displeasure.
3. The Principle of People’s Participation
People’s participation is the most important component of any community cooperative venture.
Ambitious plans of community development in the Indian context have failed partly due to lack
of people’s effective participation. Eliciting and sustaining people’s participation often requires
special insights and years of experience of working with people. Identification of the ‘felt
needs’ of people; critical examination of the project feasibility; development of a realistic
strategy to involve people; assumption of a pace of work which is in consonance with
community’s adjustment and capacity; adherence to community’s right to self-determination
and giving equal importance to all groups/factions are some ways to elicit people’s
participation. Helping people to participate in accordance with them capacity is a better strategy
than expecting them to participate in all issues.
4. The Principle of Inter-Group Approach
Small communities as described by Robert Redfield in his book ‘The Little Community’, have
four defining qualities of distinctiveness, small size, self-sufficiency and homogeneity. But
such communities seldom exist in contemporary context. Most communities consist of people
of different backgrounds, occupations, castes, religions and political affiliations. There are
what can be described as “communities within communities” and “overlapping communities”.
The community worker is therefore expected to first identify the smaller groups with whom he
can make a beginning and later develop inter-group linkages for achieving targets which
require involvement of people on a larger scale. These groups can function independently to a
certain extent but can also come together to form a wider network of community people in
order to deal with the common problems. The inter-group approach can also work on the basis
of dividing the geographical area of the community into smaller units (clusters or lanes) and
then forming groups in the same.
5. The Principle of Democratic Functioning
This principle is based on the belief that there is a tendency among common people to remain
passive and allow others to take decisions for them. In this process, a few people tend to

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ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DCTCL, CUJ RANCHI
dominate and take control of all resources and benefits. The community worker therefore has
a primary obligation to educate people and to create appropriate mechanisms to facilitate a
wider participation and to curb the tendency of domination by a privileged minority. The
principle of rotating leadership is also a step in the same direction.
6. The Principle of Flexible Organisation
The creation of a formal organization is difficult task, as people in general are not used to
confirming to rules and set procedures, and often do not immediately perceive the benefits of
allocating specific roles and responsibilities to specific people. Thus, it is better if community
workers opt for a more flexible approach to organization in order to accommodate people with
varied abilities to function effectively. Informal arrangements work better in the initial phase.
Rules and procedures are very important, but they should be made to facilitate rather than
hinder participation. Formation of various committees may also prove more helpful as more
people can thereby obtain the valuable experience of taking the lead in participating and
decision making.
7. The Principle of Optimum Utilisation of Indigenous Resources
Countries of the third world are generally short of resources. The governments are unable to
provide adequate basic services like housing, drinking water, sanitation, health etc. The
community worker therefore has to largely depend on the mobilization of resources from
various sources, including the government. In the context of the given shortages, efforts to
mobilize indigenous community resources become imperative. These include indigenous
human resources in the form of voluntary labour (Shramdan) and locally trained community
volunteers (to undertake health, education and other programmes) as also space (in the form of
available buildings like schools, panchayat ghars etc. or open spaces like playgrounds, chaupal
etc.). It is also an accepted practice to avoid provision of free services and to encourage people’s
contribution for the services provided. It promotes the self-esteem of people, and curbs
dependency on outside help. It also results in the proper utilization of services as dependence
on indigenous resources leads to greater sustainability of programmes.
8. The Principle of Cultural Orientation
In most third world countries, traditions and customs are very important. It becomes important
for the community worker to be oriented to the cultural milieu of the community and show
respect to its customs, traditions, values etc. This will enable her/him to gain the acceptance
and respect of the community. However, this does not imply that the worker should support
such customs which may harm the people or are detrimental to them (e.g. belief in supernatural

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ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DCTCL, CUJ RANCHI
powers, early marriage, sati etc.). In such cases, a gradual effort to change community’s
perception and practices is called for.