UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims): Central Council of Ministers | Indian Polity for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Q.1. Consider the following statements regarding a No- Confidence Motion in India:    (2014 - I)

1. There is no mention of a No-Confidence Motion in the Constitution of India.
2. Motion of No-Confidence can be introduced in the Lok Sabha only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer is Option (c)
Article 75 says that the Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to Loksabha. In other words, Lok Sabha can remove them by passing a no-confidence motion. But the word “no confidence motion” itself is not mentioned in Constitution. It comes from Rule 198 of Lok Sabha Rules. Rajya Sabha cannot pass or remove council of ministers by passing no-confidence motion. No confidence motion can be introduced, only in Lok Sabha.

Q.2. Consider the following statements:   (2013 - I)

1. The Council of Ministers in the Centre shall be collectively responsible to the Parliament.
2. The Union Ministers shall hold the office during the pleasure of the President of India.
3. The Prime Minister shall communicate to the President about the proposals for legislation.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer is Option (b)
Article – 75 (4): The ministers Shall hold office during the pleasure of the president.
Article – 75 (5): The council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Lok-Sabha.
Article–78 (2): Prime minister shall furnish such information relating to the administration of the affairs of the union and proposals for legislation on the president may call far.

Q.3. Which of the following Constitution Amendment Acts seeks that the size of the Councils of Ministers at the Centre and in a State must not exceed 15 per cent of the total number of members in the Lok Sabha and the total number of members of the Legislative Assembly of that State, respectively?    (2007)
(a) 91st
(b) 93rd
(c) 95th
(d) 97th

Correct Answer is Option (a)
The above provision has been added by 91st constitutional Amendment Act, 2003.

Q.4. Assertion (A): The Council of Ministers in the Union of India is collectively responsible both to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.    (2007)
Reason (R): The Members of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha are eligible to be the Ministers of the Union Government.
(a) Both A are R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true

Correct Answer is Option (d)
Assertion is false, because the Council of Ministers in the Union of India is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha only.

Q.5. Which one of the following amendments to the Indian Constitution empowers the President to send back any matter for reconsideration by the Council of Ministers?    (2002)
(a) 39th
(b) 40th
(c) 42nd
(d) 44th

Correct Answer is Option (d)
44th Before the 42nd amendment, Article 74(1) stated that, "there shall be a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise the President in the exercise of his functions". However, there was a slight ambiguity whether the advice of the Council of Ministers is binding on the President. Forty-second Amendment of the 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) made it explicit that the President shall, "act in accordance with such advice". The amendment went into effect from 3 January, 1977. The 44th Amendment (1978) however added that the President can send the advice back for reconsideration once. But if the Council of Ministers sends the same advice again to the President then the President must accept it. The amendment went into effect from 20 June, 1979.