The Council of Ministers (Indian Polity and Governance) Part-II

Total Questions: 42

31. Recently who has been assigned the charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs? [67th B.P.S.C. (Pre) (Re-Exam), 2021]

Correct Answer: (a) Smriti Irani
Solution:The Minister for Minority Affairs is Smriti Zubin Irani, while the minister of state minority is John Barla. The Ministry of Minority Affairs was carved out of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and created on 29 January, 2006 to ensure a more focused approach towards issues relating to the notified minority communities namely Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Sikhs, Parsis and Jain..

32. Which of the following official documents is related with India? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2008]

Correct Answer: (b) White Paper
Solution:A White Paper is an official document issued by the Government of India or by its Ministry which explains the Government policies on a particular subject and allows the Government to collect feedback before a bill is prepared.
Official books of various countries :
Official BookCountry
Blue BookReport by British Government
Grey BookJapanese and Belgium Government
Green BookGovernment of Italy and Iran (Persia)
White BookOfficial publication of Germany, Portugal and China
Orange BookGovernment of the Netherlands
Yellow BookIssued by the Government of France
White PaperIssued by the Government of India
Report on currency and financeReserve Bank of India
Economic SurveyMinistry of Finance(Government of India)
National Accounts StatisticsCentral Statistical Organisation
Wholesale Price IndexMinistry of Industry

33. The Reorganization of Union Cabinet is based on the Report of- [U.P.P.C.S. (GIC) 2010]

Correct Answer: (a) Gopalaswami Ayyangar
Solution:The Reorganization of the Union Cabinet is based on the Report of N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar.

Ayyangar also served as minister of state, railways and transport from 1948-1952, and finally, he served as defence minister from 1952-1953. In the year 1952, he was elected to Rajya Sabha and was the leader of the House in Rajya Sabha from May 13, 1952 to February 10, 1953.
During his tenure as railway minister, the railways experienced considerable growth and expansion in services and equipment. He was the main architect in the regrouping of the Indian Railways into six zonal systems - Central, Eastern, Northern, North-eastern, Southern and Western. The railway budget also reported surplus earnings at this time.
In 1949, he presented his report on the "Reorganisation of the Government Machinery" in an effort to streamline government services and maintain efficiency in the public sphere. He recommended the establishment of four standing committees, and, as a result of this report, the Defence Committee, the Economic Committee, the Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Committee, and the Administrative Organisation Committee were formed by the Union government.

34. Who is the highest Civil Services Officers of the Central Government? [63rd B. P.S.C. (Pre) 2017]

Correct Answer: (b) The Cabinet Secretary
Solution:The Cabinet Secretariat functions directly under the Prime Minister. The administrative head of the Secretariat is the Cabinet Secretary who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board. The business allocated to Cabinet Secretariat under Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 includes (i) Secretarial assistance to the Cabinet and Cabinet Committees; and (ii) Rules of Business.
The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 and Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 facilitating smooth transaction of business in Ministries/Departments. The Secretariat assists in decision-making in Government by ensuring Inter-Ministerial coordination, ironing out differences amongst Ministries/Departments and evolving consensus through the instrumentality of the standing/adhoc Committees of Secretaries. Management of major crisis situations in the country and coordinating activities of various ministries in such a situation is also one of the functions of the Cabinet Secretariat.

35. Consider the following statements about the Cabinet Secretariat. [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2023]

1. The Cabinet Secretariat functions directly under the Vice-President of India.

2. The administrative head of the Secretariat is the Cabinet Secretary who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board.

Which of the statements/s given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (b) 2 Only
Solution:The Cabinet Secretariat functions directly under the Prime Minister. The administrative head of the Secretariat is the Cabinet Secretary who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Civil Services Board. The business allocated to Cabinet Secretariat under Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 includes (i) Secretarial assistance to the Cabinet and Cabinet Committees; and (ii) Rules of Business.
The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 and Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 facilitating smooth transaction of business in Ministries/Departments. The Secretariat assists in decision-making in Government by ensuring Inter-Ministerial coordination, ironing out differences amongst Ministries/Departments and evolving consensus through the instrumentality of the standing/adhoc Committees of Secretaries. Management of major crisis situations in the country and coordinating activities of various ministries in such a situation is also one of the functions of the Cabinet Secretariat.

36. Which of the following is/are the function/functions of the Cabinet Secretariat? [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]

1. Preparation of agenda for Cabinet Meetings

2. Secretariat assistance to Cabinet Committees

3. Allocation of financial resources to the Ministries

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Correct Answer: (c) 1 and 2 only
Solution:The 'Cabinet Secretariat' has been given a place in the 1" Schedule of the rules made under the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961.

The Subjects allotted to the Secretariat are :

(i) Secretariat assistance to the Cabinet and the Cabinet Committees

(ii) The administration of the Rules of Business The Secretariat assistance provided by the Cabinet Secretariat to the Cabinet and Cabinet Committees are:

1. Convening of the meeting of the Cabinet on the orders of the Prime Minister.

2. Preparation and circulation of the agenda.

3. Circulating papers related to cases on the agenda.

4. Preparing a record of discussions taken.

5. Circulation of the record after obtaining the approval of the Prime Minister.

6. Watching implementation of the decisions taken by the Cabinet.

(iii) Promotion of Inter-Ministerial Coordination. The coordination is required for removing difficulties, removing differences, overcoming delays, coordination in administrative actions and coordination of policies.

37. The split system in the Indian administration relates to- [67th B.P.S.C. (Pre), 2021]

Correct Answer: (c) Policy/Implementation
Solution:The split system in the Indian administration relates to policy implementation. This system is required to ensure the efficiency of policy making and implementation. The Ex-Secretariat system is based on these ideas so that policy implementation can be done efficiently.

Policy/Implementation

  • The Secretariat's operation in our country has mostly been guided by two ideas.
  • First, the notion of policy separation from implementation-the administration in action-so that the latter can be delegated to a distinct agency with some execution flexibility.
  • Second, the viability of the administrative system as a whole requires a transitory cadre of officers selected from States Cadres, operating on a tenure system of staff supervising a permanent staff.
  • The policy-making functions are the ones who are most likely to suffer. Routine business is always more pressing and necessitates fewer intellectual resources than policymaking. Because the human mind prefers the least amount of opposition.
    It is only possible to ensure for careful and successful planning by creating a separate policy department general staff, free of the administration as a whole.
  • This system is known as split system.

38. Who is the President of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research? [Uttarakhand Lower Sub. (Pre) 2010]

Correct Answer: (c) Prime Minister of India
Solution:The President of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is the Prime Minister of India.

Prime Minister is the head of government in India's political setup. He is the de facto head of state.

  • The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of India and is the leader of the party or coalition that holds the majority of seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's parliament.
  • The Prime Minister is responsible for the administration of the government and serves as the chief spokesperson for the government's policies.
  • Under Article 75, the Council of Ministers shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.
  • Also, Article 74(1) states that there shall be a Council of Ministers with a Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise the President. Thus, other ministers work under the direction of the Prime Minister.
  • Hence, in the parliamentary system of India, the role of the Prime Minister has become so significant and crucial that the form of government in India is called a 'Prime Ministerial Government'.

39. Who is the head of the National Defence Committee? [53rd to 55th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2011]

Correct Answer: (b) Prime Minister
Solution:The National Defence Committer is headed by the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister is the head of government in India's political setup. He is the de facto head of state.

  • The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of India and is the leader of the party or coalition that holds the majority of seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's parliament.
  • The Prime Minister is responsible for the administration of the government and serves as the chief spokesperson for the government's policies.
  • Under Article 75, the Council of Ministers shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.
  • Also, Article 74(1) states that there shall be a Council of Ministers with a Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise the President. Thus, other ministers work under the direction of the Prime Minister.
  • Hence, in the parliamentary system of India, the role of the Prime Minister has become so significant and crucial that the form of government in India is called a 'Prime Ministerial Government'.

40. In which year was the Office of the Parliamentary Secretary created first time in Independent India? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]

Correct Answer: (b) 1952
Solution:The Office of the Parliamentary Secretary was created in 1952.
  • Parliamentary Secretary has a status below that of a Cabinet Minister and a Minister of State.
  • All Ministers of the Crown who control a major department have one or two Parliamentary Secretaries to assist them.
  • If the Minister is a Secretary of state, his Parliamentary Secretary is designated as Under Secretary of State.
  • He helps his Minister and deputises for the Minister in the House.