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ICSE-X-History

03: The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers

with Solutions - page 3

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  • Qstn #28
    By whom and and whose advice is the Council of Ministers appointed?
    Ans : The Council of Ministers is appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.
  • Qstn #28
    By whom and and whose advice are the Union Ministers appointed
    Ans : -
  • Qstn #29
    State the significance of the Prime minister’s position in the cabinet?
    Ans : The Prime Minister forms the Council of Ministers and distributes portfolios among them. He can also remove a minister. The Prime Minister informs the President about the decisions of the cabinet. Minister cannot discuss any matter of national policy directly with the President.
  • #
    Section : B
    Short Answer Type
  • Qstn #1
    State any two features of the Cabinet System?
    Ans : (i) President as the Constitutional Head of the state: The real power is with the Council of Ministers (Cabinet), headed by the Prime Minister.
    (ii) Prime Minister as the Head of the Government: The Prime Minister is the Leader of the majority party in the Parliament (i.e., The Lok Sabha). After the general elections, he is invited by the President to become the Prime Minister and form his Council of Ministers (Cabinet).
  • Qstn #2
    Ministers are legislators as well as administrators. Justify the statement.
    Ans : There is a fusion of legislative and executive powers for the ministers. When Cabinet Ministers sit in the Parliament as M.P.s and enact laws, they exercise the legislative powers. When the same M.P., after he becomes a minister, sits in the secretariat of his ministry, he exercises the executive powers. As an executive head of a Ministry, the Ministers are responsible to the Lok Sabha. This is because in our Parliamentary set-up, the executive is drawn out of the legislature.
  • Qstn #3
    How do you distinguish between the Cabinet and the Council of Ministers?
    Ans :
    The Council of Ministers The Cabinet
    (a) It consists of all the four ranks of Ministers-the Cabinet Ministers, the Ministers and Parliament secretaries. (b) The Council of Ministers is a large body, it meets occasionally. (a) The Cabinet generally consists of Ministers holding Cabinet rank and important portfolios like defence, finance, etc. (b) The Cabinet is a small and cohesive group which meets regularly.
  • Qstn #4
    Mention the categories of Ministers in the Council of Ministers.
    Ans : The categories of Ministers are:
    • The Cabinet Ministers.
    • Ministers of State.
    • Deputy Ministers.
  • Qstn #5
    Explain the term Joint/collective responsibility briefly.
    Ans : The Council of Ministers is jointly or collectively responsible to the Parliament. Once they have reached a decision after full discussion in the meeting under Prime Ministers Chairmanship, all the Ministers must defend it inside the Parliament and in the public. If No Confidence Motion is passed against any one minister. all have to resign.
  • Qstn #6
    What is the role of the Prime Minister in relation to the President?
    Ans : The President is the nominal head and Prime Minister the real executive of Indian Union.
    • The Prime Minister is the only line of communication between the Cabinet and the President.
    • The Prime Minister advises the President to summon and prorogue the Parliament, to dissolve the Lok Sabha.
    • The Prime Minister advises the President on the appointment of judges of Supreme Court, the Governors and Ambassadors.
  • Qstn #7
    How does the Prime Minister lead his Cabinet?
    Ans : He leads the Cabinet as follows:
    (i) Chairman of the Council of Ministers: The Prime Minister calls the meetings of the Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister concludes the discussion and gives his decision. This decision is considered as the decision of the whole Cabinet/Council of Ministers. All are bound by this decision.
    (ii) Co-ordinates various Departments: The Prime Minister collaborates the functioning of all ministries for overall administration of the nations.
  • Qstn #8
    What is the role of the Prime Minister in managing the foreign affairs?
    Ans : There is a minister of foreign affairs, yet the Prime Minister has a significant role in these matters, as noted below:
    (i) The Prime Minister represents India in international conferences. He may commit India to certain decisions in the above conferences and conclude Treaties or Agreements.
    (ii) He is the chief architect and spokesperson of India's foreign policy.
  • Qstn #9
    Do you agree that the Prime Minister is a direct choice of the nation? Why?
    Ans : The Prime Minister is the acknowledged leader of the nation as a whole. At the time of general elections, it is for or against the Prime-ministerial candidate that the entire electorate in the country voles. Though he/she is contesting from a particular constituency. Thus, we can say that in a practical sense. the election of the Prime Minister is the direct choice.
  • Qstn #10
    Give instances wherein Prime Minister is projected as the leader of the nation.
    Ans :
    • During a national crisis like war, even the opposition parties support the Prime Minister.
    • The Prime Minister tries to protect the interests of the country in international forums.
    • Planning Commission which formulates five-year plans to make effective use of the country's resources is headed by the Prime Minister. He is the a-officio Chairman of the Niti Ayog and the Atomic Energy Commission.
  • Qstn #11
    Which factors determine the position of the Prime Minister?
    Ans :
    • Prime Minister is the keystone of the cabinet arch. He is the captain of his team. He is the pivot of the whole of the Cabinet system of the government.
    • The real position of the Prime Minister, however, depends upon his own position in his party, and his party's position in the Lok Sabha.
    • If the Prime Minister is a person of commanding personality he will certainly be able to enhance the status, prestige and authority of his choir.
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