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Parliamentary Committees ​

📊 High-Yield Data & Statistical Fact Sheet
  • Definition & Basis: Parliamentary Committees are established by the House or nominated by the Presiding Officer under Article 118(1) (rules of procedure). They operate under the direction of the Speaker/Chairman and present reports to the House.
  • The Three Pillars of Financial Scrutiny:
    • Public Accounts Committee (PAC): 22 members (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha). Formed in 1921 (under the GoI Act 1919). Ministers are barred from election. Chairman is conventionally appointed from the Opposition (since 1967) by the Speaker.
    • Estimates Committee: 30 members (the largest committee in Parliament; all 30 members are from the Lok Sabha; Rajya Sabha holds zero representation). Formed in 1950 on the recommendation of then Finance Minister John Mathai.
    • Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU): 22 members (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha). Established in 1964 on the recommendation of the Krishna Menon Committee.
  • Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs):
    • 24 committees in total (16 under the Lok Sabha Speaker, 8 under the Rajya Sabha Chairman).
    • Composition: Each consists of 31 members (21 from the Lok Sabha, 10 from the Rajya Sabha).
  • 2025 Milestone: The Estimates Committee completed 75 years of continuous service (1950–2025).

1. CLASSIFICATION & CHARACTERISTICS ​

CLASSIFICATION & CHARACTERISTICS ​

CLASSIFICATION & CHARACTERISTICS
Analyze key facts and concepts related to CLASSIFICATION & CHARACTERISTICS.

Parliamentary Committees are classified into two broad categories based on their durability:


```text [Parliamentary Committees] / \ [Standing Committees] [Ad-hoc Committees] Permanent; reconstituted annually Temporary; created for specific tasks (e.g., Financial, DRSCs, Scrutiny) (e.g., Select/Joint Inquiry Committees) ```
- General Rules: - All financial committees are elected annually by proportional representation using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system. - Ministers are strictly barred from being elected to the PAC, Estimates Committee, COPU, and all 24 DRSCs. If a member is appointed as a minister after election, they cease to be a committee member from that date.

2. THE THREE FINANCIAL COMMITTEES ​

THE THREE FINANCIAL COMMITTEES ​

THE THREE FINANCIAL COMMITTEES
Detail the concepts and significance of I. Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

I. Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

- Role: Performs post-mortem audit scrutiny of public expenditure. It examines the annual finance and appropriation accounts of the Government of India, ensuring funds were spent legally, efficiently, and for the authorized purpose. - CAG Interface: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) serves as the "friend, philosopher, and guide" to the PAC, providing it with audit reports that form the basis of the committee's investigations.
Detail the concepts and significance of II. Estimates Committee.

II. Estimates Committee

- Role: Performs pre-spending budget scrutiny. It examines the estimates presented in the budget to suggest economies in organizational structure, administrative efficiency, and policy execution. Known as the "Continuous Economy Committee". - Limitations: Scrutiny is limited because it can only review estimates after they are voted by Parliament, and its recommendations do not halt the passage of the budget. Its reports are not formally debated on the floor of the House.
Detail the concepts and significance of III. Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU).

III. Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU)

- Role: Examines the reports and accounts of Central Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and relevant CAG audit reports on public undertakings.

3. DRSCs & SPECIALIZED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES ​

DRSCs & SPECIALIZED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES ​

DRSCs & SPECIALIZED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES
Detail the concepts and significance of Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs). -

Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs)

Formulated in 1993 to secure executive accountability. They perform detailed scrutiny of ministerial Demands for Grants (during the parliamentary recess after budget presentation) before they are voted on in the Lok Sabha. They also examine bills and policies referred to them. Their recommendations are advisory and non-binding.


Detail the concepts and significance of Other Important Committees:. -

Other Important Committees:


| Committee | Membership & Composition | Key Function |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Ethics Committee | LS: 15 members \| RS: 10 members | Enforces the code of conduct, examines cases of misconduct, and does not take up sub-judice matters. |

| Joint Committee on Offices of Profit | 15 members (10 LS + 5 RS) | Reviews the composition and character of government bodies to determine "Office of Profit" status. |

| Committee on Subordinate Legislation | 15 members in each House | Examines whether the power to frame rules and regulations delegated by Parliament is being properly exercised. |

| Business Advisory Committee (BAC) | LS: 15 members (Speaker chairs) \| RS: 11 members (Chairman chairs) | Allocates the official timetable for government business and bills in the House. |

| Rules Committee | LS: 15 members (Speaker chairs) \| RS: 16 members (Chairman chairs) | Considers matters relating to the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the House. |

| Committee on Private Members' Bills | LS only: 15 members (Deputy Speaker chairs) | Classifies private members' bills and allocates time for their discussion (RS handles this via its BAC). |


🎯 UPSC Prelims 2026 Questions & Explanations ​

Consider the following statements about the Committee on the Welfar... - Question 84: Consider the following statements about the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes of the Parliament of India:
Statement 2
Statement 3
Statement 4
Statement 5
statements, that include statement 1.(d) There is no correct statement.

Correct Answer: (D)

Key Concepts & Explanation:
Statement 1
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Complete
The statement is incorrect because the Chairperson of the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes of the Parliament of India:
Speaker of the Lok Sabha, not by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Further, the Chairperson is selected from among the Lok Sabha members of the Committee.
This statement is also incorrect because the composition of the Committee is:
20 members elected from the Lok Sabha, and 10 members elected from the Rajya Sabha.
The statement reverses these numbers.
The statement is incorrect because no Minister can be a member of the Committee. There is no exception in favour of the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment or any other Minister.
This statement is incorrect as the term of office of members of the
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Committee is one year, not two years.Therefore, none of the statements is correct.
Tribes consists of 30 Members – 20 elected by the Lok Sabha and 10 by the Rajya Sabha from amongst their Members in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote.The Chairperson of the Committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst the Members of the Committee. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.A Minister is not eligible for election to the Committee. If a Member after his election to the Committee is appointed a Minister he ceases to be a Member of the Committee from the date of such an appointment.Hence, statement 3 is correct.The term of the Committee does not exceed one year.

Year Asked: Prelims 2026

QUICK REVISION BOX ​

  • Constitutional Anchor: Created under Article 118(1); operationalized through the Rules of Procedure of the Houses.
  • Estimates Composition: 30 members, all from the Lok Sabha. RS has zero representation (Continuous Economy Committee).
  • PAC Composition: 22 members (15 LS + 7 RS); conventionally chaired by an Opposition MP (since 1967).
  • COPU Origin: Krishna Menon Committee recommendation; 22 members (15 LS + 7 RS).
  • No Minister Rule: Ministers are strictly barred from election to all financial committees and DRSCs.
  • DRSCs Count: 24 committees (each has 31 members: 21 LS + 10 RS); scrutinize Demands for Grants during budget recess.
  • Ethics Limit: Handles parliamentary code of conduct, but refuses sub-judice cases.
  • Consultative Committees: Not parliamentary committees. They are informal forums attached to ministries, run by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (voluntary membership of 10–30 MPs).

Notes updated up to March 2026. Sources: Lok Sabha Secretariat Committee Handbook, Article 118.

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