Page 24 – Parliamentary Committees
Based on M. Laxmikanth – Indian Polity (6th Edition)
Key Idea Summary
Core concepts and exam relevance
Parliamentary Committees help Parliament:
- Scrutinize bills in detail
- Monitor government functioning
- Improve financial accountability
There are Standing Committees (permanent) and Ad-hoc Committees (temporary).
- PAC & Estimates Committee composition
- Department-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs)
- Selection committees
- Joint Parliamentary Committees (JPC)
Financial Committees
The watchdogs of public money
1. Public Accounts Committee (PAC)
- Members: 22 (15 LS + 7 RS)
- Chair: Opposition member (by convention)
- Function: Examines CAG audit reports
- Scrutinizes: Appropriation accounts
- Ensures money spent as sanctioned
- Oldest financial committee (1921)
2. Estimates Committee
- Members: 30 (all from Lok Sabha)
- Chair: Ruling party member
- Function: Examines budget estimates
- Suggests economies in expenditure
- Reports on efficiency improvements
- Largest committee
3. Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU)
- Members: 22 (15 LS + 7 RS)
- Function: Examines PSUs
- Reviews CAG reports on PSUs
- Assesses autonomy & efficiency
- Established in 1964
PAC = Post-expenditure review (after money spent)
Estimates Committee = Pre-expenditure analysis (before spending)
Department-Related Standing Committees (DRSCs)
Specialized scrutiny of ministries
Structure
- Total: 24 DRSCs
- 16 under Lok Sabha Speaker
- 8 under Rajya Sabha Chairman
- Each has ~31 members (21 LS + 10 RS)
- Cover all ministries/departments
Functions
- Examine bills referred to them
- Scrutinize budget demands
- Review annual reports of ministries
- Consider long-term plans & policies
- Improve specialization
- 1993: DRSCs introduced (17 committees)
- 2004: Expanded to 24 committees
- Replaced subject committees for better efficiency
Ad-Hoc Committees
Temporary committees for specific purposes
Select Committee
- Examines a particular bill
- Members from one House only
- Detailed clause-by-clause analysis
- Submits report to the House
- Dissolves after report submitted
Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)
- Members from both Houses
- For major bills or investigations
- High-profile cases (scams, reforms)
- Has power to summon witnesses
- Examples: 2G scam JPC, Stock market JPC
Quick Reference – Key Committees
At-a-glance comparison
| Committee | Members | Chair | Key Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAC | 22 (15 LS + 7 RS) | Opposition member | Examines CAG audit reports |
| Estimates | 30 (all LS) | Ruling party | Scrutinizes budget estimates |
| COPU | 22 (15 LS + 7 RS) | Either House | Examines PSUs |
| DRSCs | ~31 each (21+10) | Nominated | Ministry-wise scrutiny |
Simulation Lab
Committee Workflow Explorer
🧪 Committee Assignment Simulator
Select a scenario to see which committee handles it.
Select a scenario to see the committee workflow.
Exam Booster – Practice Questions
Test your understanding
1 The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is headed by:
By convention since 1967, PAC is chaired by a member of the opposition party to ensure independent scrutiny of government finances.
2 Which is the largest Parliamentary Committee?
Estimates Committee has 30 members (all from Lok Sabha), making it the largest standing committee.
Memory Hooks & Quick Revision
Key takeaways for exam day
Revision Summary
3 Exam Points to Remember
- 1 PAC: 22 members, Opposition chair, examines CAG reports (oldest – 1921)
- 2 Estimates: 30 members (largest), all Lok Sabha, pre-expenditure scrutiny
- 3 DRSCs: 24 committees (since 1993), ministry-wise, improve bill quality