Question

Study the figure and answer the following questions:
a. What is meant by the term ‘Cabinet’? Who comprises the Cabinet?
b. State three points of difference between the Cabinet and Council of Ministers.
c. Distinguish between individual responsibility and collective responsibility.

Answer 1

Hint:
Cabinet means ‘a group of ministers’ which is the supreme authority of administration of India and governs the governmental policies and its members are the president of their ministries. The Cabinet word was not mentioned in Basic Constitution but now cabinet word is mentioned in constitution by 44th constitutional amendment, 1978.

Complete solution:
Cabinet is the major part of the Council of Ministers which comprises Most Senior leader and president of ministry which takes direct decision on their ministry related their activities. In practical terms, the cabinet always exercises the power of the council of ministers and determines the functions of the ministers. It directs the council of ministers to implement the policies and also monitors the implementations of decisions. It is a small body comparatively council of ministers in which consist of 15-20 ministers.

Council of Ministers exercises executive authority which implements the policies of Cabinet. It consists of Cabinet Ministers, Minister of State, Deputy Minister (Junior Minister) and the council is led by the Prime Minister of India.

Minister of State (Independent Charge) is a Junior Minister but reporting to the Cabinet Minister. And the Minister of State (Non-independent charge) is deputy minister and reporting to cabinet minister.

Note:
Individual and Collective responsibility are mentioned in Article 75 of Indian Constitution. Individual ministerial responsibility means that the convention of a minister is responsible to parliament for the actions of their department while collective responsibility means that each minister should be supported by each governmental decision. Ministers in the terms of collective responsibility are bound by collective decisions which are made by the cabinet.