Council of Ministers – Notes GK PDF

Council of Minister

The Council of Ministers is equivalent to the term cabinet and is a part of the executive branch of government. The Council of Ministers includes the heads of various departments or ministries, such as finance, defense, foreign affairs, health, education, and more.

Composition:

• The Prime Minister: acts as the head of the Council of Ministers.
• Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and Ministers of State.
• Deputy Minister
• Cabinet Ministers
• Ministers of State (Independent Charge).
• Ministers of State

Appointment:

• The President of India appoints the Prime Minister, who is usually the leader of the majority party in the Lok Sabha.
• On the Prime Minister’s advice, the President appoints other ministers of the Council.

Roles and Functions of the Council of Ministers in India

The Council of Ministers in India plays a crucial role in the governance and administration of the country.

1. Policy Formulation
2. Implementation of the Policies
3. Introducing bills, participating in debates, and voting in the Parliament.
4. Responsible for the administration of various departments and ministries.
5. The Finance Minister presents the annual Union Budget in Parliament.
6. Crisis Management
7. External Affairs Minister represents India in international matters.
8. The Defense Minister is responsible for the armed forces.
9. Home Minister oversees internal security, law, and intelligence services.
10. Advising the President

Types of Ministries:

• Ministries can be broadly categorized into economic, social, and infrastructure ministries.
• Economic ministries handle issues related to finance, commerce, and industry.
• Social ministries deal with areas like education, health, and welfare.
• Infrastructure ministries oversee sectors such as transportation, energy, and telecommunications.

Facts of Council of Ministers in India

• A person can be a minister for a maximum of 6 months without being a member of parliament.
• The 91st Amendment to the Constitution in 2003 declared that the cabinet could not have more than 15 percent of the members of the legislature.
• India’s first general election was held in 1951-52.
• The Fifth Lok Sabha of India lasted for more than 5 years – 19/3/1971 to 18/1/1977.

Impeachment of ministers from the council

The ministers can be removed for the following reasons –

1. If he/she dies
2. if he or she resigns himself
3. if he or she violates the constitution, (the President dismisses him).

FAQs on Council of Minister

These sample questions and answers are designed to help you understand and prepare for UPSC-style questions on the Council of Ministers in India.