Polity
Parliament
Parliamentary Committees
Standing and ad hoc committees of Parliament: PAC, Estimates Committee, COPU, the 24 Departmentally Related Standing Committees and JPCs, with sizes and dates.
Prerequisites
- Budget and Parliamentary Devices — the PAC approves excess grants and the DRSCs scrutinise demands.
- Legislative Procedure — the “committee stage” of a bill.
- Constitutional Bodies — the CAG, whose audit reports feed the PAC.
The Hook: Where the Real Work Is Done
Connect
Television shows Parliament at its loudest: walkouts, slogans, adjournments. But imagine a CAG audit report finds that money for a rural road scheme in Chhattisgarh was spent on roads that were never built. That report is not debated on the floor for hours. It goes to a room with 22 MPs, the Public Accounts Committee, where officials are questioned, files are read, and recommendations are written in a quiet, cross-party setting.
Woodrow Wilson wrote that Congress in its committee rooms is Congress at work. Is that true of India’s Parliament, and why do fewer bills now reach committees? This page answers that.
Why it matters: Prelims asks the size, composition, chairmanship and year of the financial committees and DRSCs. Mains asks why committees matter and how their role has changed.
Basics
- The Constitution mentions committees (e.g. Art 105, 118) but does not specify their composition, tenure or functions. These come from the Rules of Procedure of each House and the directions of the Speaker.
- A parliamentary committee is one that is appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker/Chairman, works under the presiding officer’s direction, presents its report to the House or the presiding officer, and has a secretariat provided by the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha Secretariat. (Consultative committees of ministries do not meet this definition.)
- Ministers cannot be members of the financial committees or DRSCs.
- Committee recommendations are advisory, not binding on the government.
| Standing committees (स्थायी समितियाँ) | Ad hoc committees (तदर्थ समितियाँ) |
|---|---|
| Permanent; constituted every year or periodically; work continuously | Temporary; created for a specific task and cease to exist once it is done |
| E.g. PAC, Estimates, COPU, DRSCs, Privileges, Business Advisory | E.g. Joint Parliamentary Committees of inquiry; select or joint committees on bills |
The Three Financial Committees (high-yield)
| Feature | Public Accounts Committee (PAC) | Estimates Committee | Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | 1921, under the Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu–Chelmsford reforms) | Standing Financial Committee of 1921 was its forerunner; first post-independence committee 1950, on the suggestion of Finance Minister John Mathai | 1964, on the recommendation of the Krishna Menon Committee |
| Members | 22: 15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha | 30: all from the Lok Sabha (originally 25; raised to 30 in 1956) | 22: 15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha (originally 15; enlarged in 1974) |
| Election | Annually, by proportional representation (STV) from among members | Same, Lok Sabha only | Same |
| Term | One year | One year | One year |
| Chairman | Appointed by the Speaker from among its Lok Sabha members. Since 1967, by convention, from the opposition | Appointed by the Speaker from its members; generally from the ruling party | Appointed by the Speaker from its Lok Sabha members |
| Main job | Examines the CAG’s audit reports on appropriation accounts, finance accounts and public undertakings; checks that money was spent as Parliament granted | Examines the budget estimates and suggests economies in expenditure and alternative policies. Called a “continuous economy committee” | Examines reports and accounts of public undertakings and the CAG’s audit reports on them |
| Note | CAG acts as its “friend, philosopher and guide” | Its work is necessarily after the budget is voted, so its influence is indirect | Does not take up matters of major government policy or day-to-day administration |
Limits of the PAC
- Post-mortem: it examines spending after it has occurred.
- It cannot intervene in questions of policy, only in the propriety and legality of expenditure.
- Its recommendations are advisory; ministries send “action taken” replies, which the PAC reports on.
- It approves excess grants before the Lok Sabha votes on them (Art 115).
Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs)
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | On the recommendation of the Rules Committee of the Lok Sabha, 17 DRSCs were set up in April 1993 (an experiment with three subject committees had begun in 1989) |
| Expanded | 2004: raised to 24 |
| Composition | 31 members each: 21 from the Lok Sabha + 10 from the Rajya Sabha |
| Serviced by | 16 by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, 8 by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat |
| Nominated by | Lok Sabha members by the Speaker; Rajya Sabha members by the Chairman |
| Ministers | Not eligible |
| Term | Not exceeding one year |
Functions (for their ministries):
- Consider the Demands for Grants before they are voted (the House adjourns for this period during the budget session).
- Examine bills referred to them by the Speaker or Chairman.
- Consider the ministries’ annual reports.
- Consider national basic long-term policy documents referred to them.
They do not consider matters of day-to-day administration.
Why DRSCs matter (Mains)
- Expertise and time: detailed, clause-by-clause scrutiny that the floor cannot give.
- Cross-party consensus: proceedings are closed-door and members are less bound by the whip, so they can deliberate more freely.
- Public input: committees invite memoranda from experts and stakeholders, the main channel for citizens to shape a bill.
- Continuous oversight of ministries, not just once a year.
Declining referral of bills (dated)
Referral of bills to committees is not mandatory; it is at the discretion of the Speaker or Chairman. PRS Legislative Research reports that about 71% of bills introduced in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009–14) were referred to committees, about 25% in the 16th (2014–19), and under 20% in the 17th (2019–24) (figures vary slightly by source and method). Critics link this to hurried legislation, such as the farm laws of 2020, which were passed without committee scrutiny and repealed in 2021.
Reform suggestions: mandatory referral of bills (except Money Bills and urgent bills), longer terms for committees to build expertise, research support, and debates on committee reports in the House.
Other Standing Committees
| Group | Committees | Sizes to remember |
|---|---|---|
| To inquire | Committee on Petitions; Committee of Privileges; Ethics Committee (Rajya Sabha set one up in 1997; the Lok Sabha later) | Petitions: LS 15, RS 10. Privileges: LS 15, RS 10 |
| To scrutinise and control | Government Assurances; Subordinate Legislation (checks rules made by the executive under delegated powers); Papers Laid on the Table; Welfare of SCs and STs; Empowerment of Women; Joint Committee on Offices of Profit | SC/ST Welfare: 30 (20 LS + 10 RS). Empowerment of Women: 30 (20 LS + 10 RS). Offices of Profit: 15 (10 LS + 5 RS) |
| Day-to-day business | Business Advisory (allots time); Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions (Lok Sabha only); Rules Committee; Absence of Members (Lok Sabha only) | Business Advisory: LS 15, chaired by the Speaker; RS 11, chaired by the Chairman. Rules Committee chaired by the Speaker / Chairman |
| House-keeping | General Purposes; House Committee; Library Committee; Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of MPs | Salaries and Allowances: 15 (10 LS + 5 RS) |
Speaker chairs three
The Speaker is ex officio chairman of the Business Advisory Committee, the Rules Committee and the General Purposes Committee. In the Rajya Sabha the Chairman heads the corresponding committees.
Ad Hoc Committees
| Kind | What it does | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Inquiry committees (incl. Joint Parliamentary Committees, JPCs) | Investigate a specific matter; set up by a motion in one House and agreed to by the other, or by the presiding officers. Members from both Houses | Bofors contract (1987); Harshad Mehta securities scam (1992); Ketan Parekh stock market scam (2001); pesticides in soft drinks (2003); 2G spectrum allocation (2011) |
| Advisory committees on bills | Select committee (one House) or joint committee (both Houses) to examine a particular bill clause by clause | Joint committees on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and on the “One Nation, One Election” bills (Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024) |
Chhattisgarh angle
The Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha has the same committee system on a smaller scale: its own Public Accounts Committee, Estimates Committee, Committee on Public Undertakings, and committees on the welfare of SCs, STs and backward classes. In a state where about 30% of the population is Scheduled Tribe (Census 2011) and where mineral revenue and large public-sector operations (for example SECL, headquartered at Bilaspur, and NMDC’s iron-ore mines in Bastar) shape the economy, the PAC (examining the CAG’s audit reports on the state) and the SC/ST welfare committees are the Assembly’s main scrutiny tools. See State Government.
Memory Tricks
Financial committee numbers: '22-30-22'
- PAC 22 (15 + 7) · Estimates 30 (all Lok Sabha) · COPU 22 (15 + 7).
- Years: “21, 50, 64” — PAC 1921, Estimates 1950, COPU 1964.
- “The Estimates Committee has no Rajya Sabha seat because estimates are voted only in the Lok Sabha.” That logic makes the fact stick.
DRSCs: '24 × 31 = 21 + 10'
24 committees, 31 members each, 21 Lok Sabha + 10 Rajya Sabha; 16 run by the Lok Sabha, 8 by the Rajya Sabha. Born 1993 (17), grown 2004 (24).
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| PAC — 22 members, Rajya Sabha included, chair from opposition (convention since 1967) | vs | Estimates Committee — 30 members, Lok Sabha only, chair usually from the ruling party |
| PAC — examines expenditure after it is incurred (CAG reports) | vs | Estimates Committee — examines estimates; suggests economies |
| DRSC — standing; 31 members; ministry-wise | vs | JPC — ad hoc; one issue; dissolved after reporting |
| Select committee — members of one House | vs | Joint committee — members of both Houses |
| Parliamentary committee — elected or nominated, reports to the House | vs | Consultative committee — attached to a ministry, chaired by the minister; not a parliamentary committee |
Common Mistakes
MCQ traps
- “The Estimates Committee has members from both Houses.” False. All 30 are from the Lok Sabha.
- “The Chairman of the PAC must by law be from the opposition.” False. It is a convention since 1967; the Speaker appoints the chairman.
- “A minister can be a member of the PAC.” False. Ministers are barred from the financial committees and DRSCs.
- “There are 17 DRSCs.” Outdated. That was 1993; there have been 24 since 2004.
- “DRSC recommendations bind the government.” False. They are advisory.
- “Every bill must be referred to a standing committee.” False. Referral is at the presiding officer’s discretion.
Practice
All questions below are original practice questions written in CGPSC style. They are not previous-year questions.
Level 1: Foundation
- The Public Accounts Committee was first set up in the year ______ under the Government of India Act, 1919.
- Each Departmentally Related Standing Committee has ______ members.
- The committee called a “continuous economy committee” is the ______ Committee.
- The Committee on Public Undertakings was created in 1964 on the recommendation of the ______ Committee.
Answers
- 1921.
- 31 (21 Lok Sabha + 10 Rajya Sabha).
- Estimates Committee.
- Krishna Menon Committee.
Level 2: Prelims MCQs
Q1. Consider the following statements:
- The Estimates Committee consists of 30 members, all from the Lok Sabha.
- The Public Accounts Committee consists of 22 members, of whom 7 are from the Rajya Sabha.
- A Union minister may be elected to the Public Accounts Committee.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
(b) 1 and 2 only. The Estimates Committee has 30 Lok Sabha members; the PAC has 22 (15 + 7). Ministers cannot be members of either committee, so statement 3 is wrong.
Q2. Match List I (Committee) with List II (Feature):
| List I | List II |
|---|---|
| A. Public Accounts Committee | 1. Set up in 1964 on the Krishna Menon Committee’s recommendation |
| B. Estimates Committee | 2. Examines CAG audit reports; chair from the opposition by convention |
| C. Committee on Public Undertakings | 3. 31 members each; 21 from the Lok Sabha |
| D. Departmentally Related Standing Committees | 4. Suggests alternative policies to bring economy in administration |
- (a) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
- (b) A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3
- (c) A-2, B-4, C-3, D-1
- (d) A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
Answer and explanation
(a) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3. PAC: CAG reports, opposition chair since 1967. Estimates Committee: economies and alternative policies. COPU: 1964, Krishna Menon Committee. DRSCs: 31 members (21 + 10).
Q3. Which one of the following is not a function of the Departmentally Related Standing Committees?
- (a) Considering the Demands for Grants of the ministries concerned
- (b) Examining bills referred to them by the presiding officers
- (c) Considering matters of day-to-day administration of the ministries
- (d) Considering the annual reports of the ministries
Answer and explanation
(c). The rules expressly bar DRSCs from considering matters of day-to-day administration. They consider demands for grants, referred bills, annual reports and long-term policy documents.
Q4. A Joint Parliamentary Committee constituted to inquire into a securities scam is an example of:
- (a) A standing committee
- (b) An ad hoc inquiry committee
- (c) A Departmentally Related Standing Committee
- (d) A consultative committee
Answer and explanation
(b). JPCs of inquiry (e.g. Harshad Mehta, 1992; Ketan Parekh, 2001) are ad hoc: created for one task and dissolved after reporting.
Level 3: Mains Answer Writing
Q1. (150–200 words) “Parliamentary committees are the eyes, ears and hands of Parliament.” Discuss, with reference to the declining referral of bills to committees.
Model answer outline
- Intro: Parliament sits for limited days; committees give it the time and expertise for detailed scrutiny (standing and ad hoc).
- Eyes and ears: PAC and CAG reports (financial accountability); DRSCs on demands, bills and policy; Subordinate Legislation, Assurances and Petitions committees bring citizens’ grievances in.
- Hands: bills improved clause by clause; stakeholder consultation; bipartisan, closed-door deliberation.
- Concern: referral fell from about 71% of bills (15th Lok Sabha) to about 25% (16th) and below 20% (17th) per PRS; hurried laws (farm laws, 2020, repealed 2021); recommendations advisory; short one-year terms.
- Chhattisgarh angle: the Vidhan Sabha’s PAC and SC/ST welfare committees perform the same role in a state with a large tribal population.
- Way forward: mandatory referral, longer tenure, research staff, time to debate reports.
- Conclusion: strong committees make Parliament deliberative rather than merely majoritarian.
Q2. (60–80 words) Compare the Public Accounts Committee and the Estimates Committee.
Model answer outline
- PAC: 22 (15 + 7); 1921; examines CAG reports after expenditure; opposition chair by convention.
- Estimates: 30, Lok Sabha only; 1950 (John Mathai); examines estimates, suggests economies and alternative policies.
- Common: elected annually by STV; ministers barred; advisory recommendations.
- Conclusion: PAC is the post-mortem, Estimates the pre-emptive check.
Quick Revision Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Two kinds | Standing (permanent) vs ad hoc (temporary) |
| PAC | 22 (15 LS + 7 RS); 1921; CAG reports; opposition chair since 1967 |
| Estimates | 30, Lok Sabha only; 1950 (John Mathai); “continuous economy committee” |
| COPU | 22 (15 LS + 7 RS); 1964 (Krishna Menon Committee) |
| DRSCs | 24 since 2004 (17 in 1993); 31 each (21 + 10); 16 LS, 8 RS |
| SC/ST Welfare; Empowerment of Women | 30 each (20 LS + 10 RS) |
| Offices of Profit; Salaries and Allowances | Joint; 15 each (10 LS + 5 RS) |
| Speaker chairs | Business Advisory, Rules, General Purposes |
| Ethics Committee | Rajya Sabha 1997 |
| JPCs | Bofors 1987; Harshad Mehta 1992; Ketan Parekh 2001; soft drinks 2003; 2G 2011 |
| Bills referred (PRS) | 15th LS ~71%; 16th ~25%; 17th < 20% |
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Committees come from the Rules of Procedure, not the Constitution’s text; their recommendations are advisory.
- Financial trio: PAC 22, Estimates 30 (Lok Sabha only), COPU 22; ministers barred.
- 24 DRSCs, 31 members each, examine demands, bills, annual reports and long-term policy, not day-to-day administration.
- JPCs are ad hoc and dissolve after reporting.
- Falling referral of bills is a key Mains theme on the decline of parliamentary deliberation.
What’s Next
- Parliament — Quick Revision — the whole chapter on one page
- Constitutional Bodies — the CAG and its link with the PAC
- Public Administration — accountability of the bureaucracy
- State Government — the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha and its committees
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