Which is the largest Committee of the Indian Parliament?
- (a)Public Account Committee
- (b)Estimates Committee
- (c)Committee on Public Undertakings
- (d)Committee on Petitions
Correct — B, the Estimates Committee. It is the largest committee of the Indian Parliament, with 30 members — all elected from the Lok Sabha (the Rajya Sabha has no representation on it). By contrast, the Public Accounts Committee and the Committee on Public Undertakings each have 22 members (15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha), and the Committee on Petitions is smaller still. With 30 members the Estimates Committee is the biggest, so the answer is (b).
- (a)Public Account Committee — The Public Accounts Committee has 22 members (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha). It is the most famous financial committee (it examines the CAG's audit reports) but it is smaller than the 30-member Estimates Committee.
- (c)Committee on Public Undertakings — The Committee on Public Undertakings also has 22 members (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha) and scrutinises public-sector undertakings — again smaller than the Estimates Committee's 30.
- (d)Committee on Petitions — The Committee on Petitions is a small committee (15 members in the Lok Sabha, 10 in the Rajya Sabha) that examines petitions from the public; it is nowhere near the largest.
Parliament works largely through committees. Its three financial committees are the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Estimates Committee, and the Committee on Public Undertakings (CoPU). The Estimates Committee — 30 members, all drawn from the Lok Sabha — is the largest of all parliamentary committees. PAC and CoPU each have 22 members drawn from both Houses. Ministers cannot be members of these committees, and members serve a one-year term.
The three financial committees are easily confused, and the PAC's fame can tempt you to pick it. The discriminator is size and composition: the Estimates Committee is both the LARGEST (30) and the only one of the three drawn ENTIRELY from the Lok Sabha, while PAC and CoPU each have 22 members from both Houses. Anchor '30, Lok Sabha only' to the Estimates Committee.
- Estimates Committee = 30 members, ALL from the Lok Sabha → the largest parliamentary committee; first constituted in 1950; called a 'continuous economy committee'
- Public Accounts Committee = 22 members (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha); examines the CAG's audit reports
- Committee on Public Undertakings = 22 members (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha); scrutinises public-sector undertakings
- A minister cannot be elected to any of these three financial committees; members hold office for one year
- Assuming the famous Public Accounts Committee is the largest — it has only 22 members
- Forgetting that the Estimates Committee has NO Rajya Sabha members (unlike PAC and CoPU)
UPPSC/UPSC ask which committee has how many members, which is drawn only from the Lok Sabha, or which examines the CAG report — the safe anchors are 'Estimates = 30, LS only' and 'PAC = CoPU = 22, both Houses'.
Consider the following statements: 1. While members of the Rajya Sabha are associated with Committees on Public Accounts and Public Undertakings, Members of Committee on Estimates are drawn entirely from Lok Sabha. 2. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs works under the overall direction of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. 3. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs nominates members of Parliament on Committees, Councils, Boards and Commissions set up by the Government of India in the various ministries. Which of these statements are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2
- (b) 2 and 3
- (c) 1 and 3
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer(d) 1, 2 and 3 — the Estimates Committee (30) is drawn entirely from the Lok Sabha, while PAC and CoPU (22 each) include Rajya Sabha members.
Same concept — the composition of the financial committees. It confirms the exact fact this question rewards: the Estimates Committee is drawn only from the Lok Sabha, unlike PAC and CoPU.
Consider the following statements: The Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts 1. Consists of not more than 25 Members of the Lok Sabha 2. Scrutinizes appropriation and finance accounts of the Government 3. Examines the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer(b) 2 and 3 only — the PAC has 22 members (not 'up to 25 from the Lok Sabha'); it does scrutinise the accounts and the CAG report.
Related concept — the size and role of the PAC (22 members). It reinforces why the PAC is not the largest committee, the distractor this UPPSC question tests against the Estimates Committee.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The Estimates Committee of Parliament consists of how many members, and from which House(s)?
- (a)22 members from both Houses
- (b)30 members, all from the Lok Sabha
- (c)15 members from the Rajya Sabha
- (d)45 members from both Houses
Answer(b) 30 members, all from the Lok Sabha — making it the largest parliamentary committee.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which parliamentary financial committee examines the audit reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India?
- (a)Estimates Committee
- (b)Public Accounts Committee
- (c)Committee on Public Undertakings
- (d)Business Advisory Committee
Answer(b) Public Accounts Committee — it scrutinises appropriation/finance accounts and the CAG's audit reports.