1 Mark Questions
Question 1 : Mention one way which the authority of the Prime Minister can be checked.
Answer : The Parliament keeps a check on the authority of the Prime Minister by asking questions, moving motions like censure and adjournment.
Question 2 : What is understood by the term ‘individual responsibility’ in a Parliamentary Democracy?
Answer : Individually, the ministers are responsible to the President of India. They hold office on the pleasure of the President who can dismiss them on advice of the Prime Minister.
Question 3 : Mention the different categories of ministers in the Union Council of Ministers.
Answer : The Union Council of Ministers comprises of Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers.
Question 4 : Explain the term ‘collective responsibility’?
Answer : Constitution provides for collective responsibility of the Council towards the Lok Sabha. It means all the ministers are responsible for the decisions taken by the executive.
Question 5 : which body formulates the Foreign Policy of India?
Answer : The Foreign Policy of Indian is formulated by the Cabinet.
Question 6 : Who presides over the meeting of the Cabinet.
Answer : The Prime Minister of India presides over the meeting of the Cabinet.
Question 7 : State one point of difference between the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers with reference to their responsibilities in the government.
Answer : The Cabinet is a group of seniormost ministers which mainly formulates the policy while the Council of Ministers is a large group responsible for the implementation of the policies.
Question 8 : By whom and on whose advice is the Council of Ministers appointed?
Answer : According to Article 75, the president appoints the Prime Minister and on his advice, he appoints the Council of Ministers.
Question 9 : Under what provision can a non-member of the union legislature be appointed as a minister?
Answer : If a non-member of Parliament is appointed as a minister, he must become a member within a period of 6 months form the date of his appointment, if failed he has to resign.
2 Marks Questions
Question 14 : The Cabinet holds a pivotal position in the working of the Indian Parliamentary Government. In this context discuss the following. The formation of the Cabinet.
Answer : The Cabinet is composed of a small but important body of senior leaders of the Government, who are included in the Council of Ministers. They hold important portfolios like home, deference, finance, external affairs, railways etc. and decide major policies of the Government.
3 Marks Questions
Question 17 : Explain three functions of the Prime Minister in relation to the President.
Answer : Three functions of the Prime Minister in relation to the President are as follows:
- He communicates all decisions of the Council of Ministers to the President. He is the Chief Advisor of the President.
- The President summons and prorogues the Parliament and dissolves the Lok Sabha on the advice of the Prime Minister.
- The Council of Ministers is appointed by the President but these ministers are chosen by the Prime Minister.
Question 19 : What is the difference between the Council of Ministers and the Cabinet in the Central Executive?
Answer : The difference between the Council of Ministers and the Cabinet in the Central Executive are as follows:
- The Cabinet is a small group consisting of senior ministers holding important portfolios whereas Council of Ministers is a large body consisting of all categories of ministers such as Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers.
- Cabinet Ministers is the most trusted colleagues of the Prime Minister and he always consults them. But like this Prime Minister may or may not consult the other Ministers.
- Cabinet is the group of senior ministers who meet frequently to determine policy and programmes of the Government whereas in the day to day working Council of Ministers rarely meet.
- According to the Constitution, the President acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers but in reality, it is the Cabinet who advices the President on various issues.
Question 21 : How is the Council of Ministers collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha?
Answer : The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha, this means that all the ministers own joint responsibility to the Lok Sabha for all their acts of ommission and commission. When a vote of no-confidence is passed in the Union Legislature, the whole Council of Ministers has to resign.
4 Marks Questions
Question 22 : Explain any two administrative powers of the Cabinet.
Answer : The two administrative powers of the Cabinet are as follows:
- All major appointments to various key posts which are made by the President are advised by the Cabinet.
- The Cabinet being the senior leaders’/ministers’ group co-ordinates the functioning of various ministers for smooth implementation of Government policies.
Question 23 : Explain any two legislative powers of the Cabinet.
Answer : The two legislative powers of the Cabinet are as follows:
- All major policies, decisions or amendments are moved by the Cabinet in the Parliament. These legislative proposals are called official bills.
- The ministers along with the secretaries of the concerned departments answer the questions of the members of the Parliament.
Question 24 : Explain Prime Minister’s relations with the President.
Answer : The relations of the Prime Minister with the President are as follows:
- The President summons and prorogues the Parliament on the advice of the Prime Minister.
- The President appoints the Council of Ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister.
- It is the responsibility of the Prime Minister to convey all important decisions and proposals to the President.
- The Prime Minister is the link between the President and the Council of Ministers.
Question 25 : Explain any four functions of the Prime Minister in relation to the Union Legislature.
Answer : The four functions of the Prime Minister in relation to the union legislature are as follows:
- He communicates to the President all decisions of Council of Ministers.
- He is the Chief Spkesperson of the Government in the Parliament.
- The Prime Minister defends the Government in the Parliament.
- Whenever an unwanted situation arises in the Parliament, the Prime Minister intervenes in the matter to control the situation.
Question 26 : How is the Prime Minister appointed at the centre?
Answer : After each general election, the party who wins the majority seats in the Lok Sabha elects their leader in the House to be elected as the Prime Minister. The President invites the leader to form the government and appoints him as the Prime Minister. When no party gains majority seats in the Lok Sabha then the President uses his discretionary power to support the Prime Minister.