Which of the following is an interest group?

The correct answer is Option (3) → FICCI Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Option (1) DDA Delhi Development Authority — Incorrect. The DDA is a government authority that plans and develops land and housing in Delhi. It is part of the state’s own machinery; it does not press the government on behalf of its members.

Option (2) BSP - Bahujan Samaj Party — Incorrect. The BSP is a political party, an organisation oriented towards achieving legitimate control of government through an electoral process. It contests elections to win power; it does not merely lobby those in power.

Option (3) FICCI Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry — Correct. Interest groups are organised to pursue specific interests in the political arena, operating mainly by lobbying the members of legislative bodies. Industrialists do not represent their case as individuals; they form associations such as FICCI and ASSOCHAM, as workers form trade unions and farmers form agricultural unions.

Option (4) BAPS Becchanswami Akshardham Purushottam Sanstha — Incorrect. BAPS is a religious organisation of the Swaminarayan faith, known for its Akshardham temples. It exists for worship and religious service, not to lobby for an economic interest.

Note: The chapter ‘The Story of Indian Democracy’ of the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023, has been renamed ‘The Constitution and Social Change’ in the NCERT book (2025-26). Its section on political parties, pressure and interest groups, which names FICCI, is still there.