LIWA

Prime Minister and Council of Ministers

ICSE Class 10 · History & Civics · Chapter 4

What this chapter covers

Key points

Questions answered

Who appoints the Prime Minister? Whom does the President invite to form the government after a general election?
The President appoints the Prime Minister under Article 75(1). By convention the President invites the leader of the party or pre-poll alliance that has a clear majority in the Lok Sabha. If no party has a majority, the President uses personal judgement, invites the leader most likely to win a vote, and asks that leader to prove the majority on the floor of the House within a fixed time.
Can a person who is not a Member of Parliament be appointed Prime Minister or a minister? Give a reason.
Yes. Under Article 75(5) a non-member may be appointed, but must become a member of either House of Parliament within six consecutive months. Otherwise the person ceases to be a minister at the end of that period.
Name the three ranks of ministers in the Council of Ministers.
Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers.
What limit did the 91st Amendment place on the size of the Council of Ministers?
The total number of ministers, including the Prime Minister, must not exceed 15 per cent of the total number of members of the Lok Sabha. It also barred a member disqualified for defection from being appointed a minister during the disqualification.
Before entering office, which oaths does a minister take, and before whom?
The oath of office and the oath of secrecy, administered by the President.
What is the tenure of the Council of Ministers? Give any three situations in which it may go out of office before five years.
It has no fixed term; it holds office as long as it enjoys the confidence of the Lok Sabha, normally for the five-year life of the House. It goes out of office earlier on the resignation or death of the Prime Minister, on the passing of a no-confidence motion, on defeat in a vote of confidence, or on the defeat of a money bill or an important government bill.
Explain the legislative functions of the Council of Ministers.
Ministers are members of Parliament. The Council decides what laws are needed, drafts government bills, introduces and defends them, and uses its majority to pass them. It advises the President to summon and prorogue Parliament and to dissolve the Lok Sabha, drafts the President's address, and advises the issue of ordinances when Parliament is not in session.
State two financial functions of the Council of Ministers.
It prepares the Budget, which the Finance Minister presents in the Lok Sabha, and it proposes taxes and expenditure for Parliament's approval. Money bills are introduced only in the Lok Sabha, on the President's recommendation, and in practice always by a minister.

Past board exam questions

ICSE 2027 sample paper · 1 mark

Cabinet : inner core :: __________ : junior-most ministers

  1. Ministers of State
  2. Deputy Ministers
  3. Council of Ministers
  4. State Ministers
Show answer
Deputy Ministers

ICSE 2027 sample paper · 1 mark

Which option best describes the picture given below? (The picture shows a group of people fitting large jigsaw-puzzle pieces together: some climb ladders and others lift pieces over their heads, all joining their pieces into one puzzle.)

  1. All ministers have portfolios.
  2. All ministers meet frequently.
  3. There are three categories of ministers.
  4. The ministers work together like a team.
Show answer
The ministers work together like a team.

ICSE 2027 sample paper · 1 mark

Choose the correct option to replace the underlined word: The Council of Ministers is individually responsible to the Lok Sabha. (The underlined word is: Lok Sabha)

  1. Prime Minister
  2. Rajya Sabha
  3. President
  4. Speaker
Show answer
President

ICSE 2026 sample paper · 1 mark

Choose the correct option to replace the underlined word: The Union ministers are collectively responsible to the <u>Prime Minister</u>.

  1. Lok Sabha
  2. Rajya Sabha
  3. President
  4. Speaker
Show answer
Lok Sabha

ICSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks

The Prime Minister is the executive head of the country. With reference to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, answer the following questions: On whose advice are the Cabinet Ministers appointed? Name the other two categories of the Council of Ministers.

Show answer
Cabinet Ministers are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. The other two categories are: (1) Ministers of State and (2) Deputy Ministers.

ICSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks

The Prime Minister is the executive head of the country. With reference to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, answer the following questions: What is meant by the term collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers?

Show answer
The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha (Art. 75(3)); the ministers swim and sink together. 1. A decision of the Cabinet is binding on all ministers; each must support and defend it in public, even if he disagreed in the Cabinet, or else resign. 2. If a vote of no-confidence is passed against the Council of Ministers (or a government bill/budget is defeated), the entire ministry must resign, not just one minister.

ICSE 2026 board paper · 4 marks

The Prime Minister is the executive head of the country. With reference to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, answer the following questions: The Prime Minister is central to the life of the Cabinet. Justify this statement by mentioning any four powers of the Prime Minister with reference to the Cabinet.

Show answer
1. Formation of the Cabinet – the President appoints ministers only on the Prime Minister's advice. 2. Allocation of portfolios – he distributes and can reshuffle departments among ministers. 3. Chairman of the Cabinet – he presides over Cabinet meetings and decides their agenda. 4. Removal of ministers – he can ask any minister to resign or advise the President to dismiss him; his own resignation means the resignation of the whole Council of Ministers. (Also: he co-ordinates and supervises the work of the various ministries.)

ICSE 2025 compartment paper · 1 mark

Given below are details of a few Indian Citizens. | Person | Age (In years) | Description | |---|---|---| | W | 20 | Is a famous actor | | X | 48 | Has been convicted by court for corruption | | Y | 35 | Has accepted a foreign citizenship | | Z | 50 | Is a scientist | Select the one who is eligible to be appointed as the Prime Minister of India.

  1. X
  2. W
  3. Y
  4. Z
Show answer
Z