Profession- Meaning, Advantages, Disadvantages, Meaning of Legal Profession and Development of legal profession in India
# Meaning of Profession
Profession is an activity that requires specialized training, knowledge, qualification and skills. It implies membership of a professional body and certificate of practice. The individuals who undertake professions of rendering personalized services are called professionals who are guided by a certain code of conduct set up by the respective body.
A profession is an occupation for which a person has to undergo specialized training or internship for getting a high degree of education and expertise in the concerned area. The main objective of the profession is to render services to those who need them.
For example; doctors, engineers, lawyers, chartered accountant, etc.
# Advantages of Profession
1. Professions offer opportunities for individuals to specialize in a specific field or area of expertise.
2. They provide higher income potential and greater financial rewards compared to many occupations.
3. Professions often have well-defined career paths with clear opportunities for advancement and promotion.
4. They offer a sense of professional identity and recognition within society.
5. Professions often provide a higher level of job security and stability compared to many occupations.
6. They involve ongoing professional development and continuous learning, allowing individuals to stay updated with industry advancements.
7. Professions often provide opportunities for research, innovation, and contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the respective fields.
8. They offer the potential for leadership roles and the ability to influence and shape the industry or profession.
9. Professions often provide a sense of fulfillment and purpose through the application of specialized skills and expertise.
10. They offer the opportunity to make a positive impact on individuals, organizations, or society as a whole through the provision of specialized services.
# Disadvantages of Profession
1. Professions often require significant investment in education, training, and obtaining professional certifications, which can be time-consuming and costly.
2. Some professions may have high levels of competition, making it challenging to secure desired positions or opportunities.
3. Professions may have demanding work schedules, long hours, or high-pressure environments.
4. They may involve exposure to stressful situations, such as dealing with critical decisions, client expectations, or ethical dilemmas.
5. Professions may require ongoing compliance with professional regulations, which can be burdensome or restrictive.
6. Some professions may face challenges related to work-life balance, as the demands of the profession can encroach on personal time and commitments.
7. Professions can require extensive documentation, record-keeping, or administrative tasks, which may detract from the core focus of the work.
8. They may face the risk of professional liability or malpractice claims, leading to potential legal and financial implications.
9. Professions may require continuous professional networking and maintaining professional relationships to stay relevant in the field.
10. They may be subject to public scrutiny or media attention, adding additional pressures and responsibilities to professionals.
# Meaning of Legal Profession
The legal profession refers to the whole of occupational roles purposely oriented towards the administration and maintenance of the legal system. The profession of law is one of the oldest and noblest professions. The person in legal profession is called an advocate or lawyer. The central function that the legal profession must perform is nothing less than the administration of Justice.
# Development of Legal Profession in India
Development of legal profession in India can be divided into four phases are as follows:
1. Legal profession in Ancient India
In India during the earlier period, people live in small groups. The heads of these groups or tribes delivered justice under open sky before all the members. Open arguments were made. There was no specialist like a lawyer during those days. When Kingships was established in the society, Kings delivered justice. In King’s Court, the king was advised by his councilors. The law of those days was a rooted in Hindu religion and custom. Dharma was protected by the king. Though there was no Institution of a lawyer, some intellectual people served justice. During those days, the sufferer presented complaint before the king in his court and thereafter the court summoned the defendant to submit his reply. The Court then investigated the matter on the evidence. The King took the advice of the religious heads and wise courtier and then delivered the judgment. The same procedure was followed in all cases.
2. Legal profession in Medieval India
During the Muslim period, there was no Institution of the legal profession. But both the parties of the litigation appoint their Vakils. This body decides the case and they were paid a percentage of the amount in the suit. The Court has the power to decide who should be allowed to appear as Vakils. They act as agent for principals but not as lawyers. The same system was continued in North India even under the rule of East India Company.
3. Legal profession in British India
During the British period, the model legal system was developed in India. Before 1726, the courts derived their power not from the British crown but from the East India Company. The charter of 1661 has already described the English law.
4. Legal profession in India after Independence
The Legal Profession has always been an important limb for administration of justice. Without, profession of law, the courts would not be in a position to administer and provide justice efficiently as the evidence in support or against the parties to a suit cannot be legitimately marshaled, facts cannot be properly articulated and the appropriate legal arguments in favour or against the case of the parties cannot be put forth before the court. “A well-organized system of judicial administration proposes a properly equipped and proficient Bar.”
The modern legal profession in India has frontier roots, emerging with the advent of Mayor’s Courts in Madras and Calcutta in 1726. The legal profession in India, which includes both the practice of law as well as professional legal education, is regulated by the Advocates Act, 1961.The Bar Council of India (BCI) is envisaged under the Advocates Act as a body for regulating the minimum standards to be maintained by institutions imparting legal education in India.
The reformation of legal education in India undertaken since the late 1980s at the initiative of the BCI, the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Law Commission of India and various state governments has led to the establishment of various national law schools in India in the last two decades. India has the second largest population of lawyers in the world, second only to the United States.
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