WORKING OF INSTITUTION NOTES

1.Name the three organs of the Government.

Answer: Executive Legislative Judiciary

2.Who is the head of the state and the head of the government?
Answer:
The President is the head of the state whereas Prime Minister is the head of the
government.
3.What is a Parliament? Name the two houses of the Parliament.
Answer:
It is the supreme law-making body of India. It has two Houses:
Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha.
4. What are institutions?
A. The arrangements which are made in modern democracies to run the
government.
5. Name any three institutions responsible to run the democratic government in
India.
A. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
The Civil Servant.
The Supreme Court.
6. Name the institution where disputes between citizens and the government are
finally settled.
A. The Supreme Court.
7. Why democratic governments insist on institutions? Give two reasons.
A. Institutions involve rules and regulations.
Institutions bind the hands of the rulers as these involve meetings, committees and
routines.
8. Which House has more power regarding the money bill? Give reason.
A. The Lok Sabha exercises more powers in money matters. Once the Lok Sabha
passes the budget of any other money related law, the Rajya Sabha cannot reject it.
The Rajya Sabha can only delay it by 14 days or suggest changes, in it. The Lok
Sabha may or may not accept these changes.
9. Explain No Confidence Motion.
A. Only a person who enjoys the support of the majority of the members of the
Lok Sabha is appointed as the Prime Minister. If a no confidence motion is moved
in the Lok Sabha, and passed, then, the Government has to resign.

10. With reference to the Rajya Sabha answer the following questions:
(i) What is its power relating to money bill?
(ii) Can it pass a No-Confidence Motion?
Answer:
(i) A Money bill can originate only in the Lok Sabha. When it is sent to the Rajya
Sabha, it cannot reject it. The Rajya Sabha can delay it for 14 days.
(ii) No, Rajya Sabha cannot pass the No-confidence Motion.
11. Define Executive
A. At different levels of any government, we find functionaries who take day-to-
day decisions, but do not exercise the supreme power on behalf of the people. All
those functionaries are collectively known as the executive.
12.Who appoints the Prime Minister?
Answer:
The Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
13.What is the tenure of the Prime Minister?
A. The Prime Minister does not have a fixed tenure. Normally a Prime Minister is
elected for 5 years, but remains in power till he enjoys the majority support.
14.Who are Cabinet Ministers?
A.They are usually the top-level leaders of the ruling party or parties, who are in
charge of the major ministries like Defense, Railway, Foreign Affairs etc.
Normally, all the major decisions are taken by these ministers.
15.What is judiciary?
A. All the courts at different levels in a country are called the judiciary.
16. Which is the highest court of India?
A. The Supreme Court.
17. “The Constitution of India has made necessary provisions for ensuring
independence of judiciary.” Justify your answer by giving two reasons.
The judges are appointed by the executive on the basis of the prescribed
qualifications, and according to a well-established procedure.
The Judges cannot be removed at the whims of the executive.
18.Who appoints the Chief Justice of India and the other judges?
A. The President of India appoints the Chief Justice of India. The President
consults other Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts while making
appointments of other judges.
19. State any two powers of the Supreme Court of India.
A. The Supreme Court acts as the guardian of fundamental rights.
It acts as a guardian of the Constitution.
20.What is the composition of Indian judiciary?
The Supreme Court. The High Court. The District Court.
1.Why is there a need for political institutions?
A. To take decisions: Countries need political institutions to take decisions
regarding the welfare of the people. Institutions formulate various policies and
programs.
Implementation: The decisions which have been taken are to be implemented. So
countries need institutions to implement the decisions.
To solve the disputes: Institutions are also needed to solve the disputes between
various institutions.
To take right decisions: Institutions help the governments to take the right
decisions.
Distinguish between political executive and permanent executive.
Answer:

3. Compare the power, tenure and working of both the Houses of the Indian
Parliament.
Or
The Lok Sabha is more powerful than the Rajya Sabha. Explain by giving three
reasons.
Or
Which house of the Parliament is more powerful in India? Give reasons.
Or
Our Constitution does give the Rajya Sabha some special powers over the states,
but Lok Sabha exercises supreme power. How? Explain.
Answer:
4. Why do the political executives have more power than the permanent
executives?
A.In a democracy, the will of the people is supreme, and the political executive is
elected by the people.
All the political executives are answerable to the people. The people can change
them if they don’t work according to the wishes of the people.
The non-political executives are the experts in their field but political executives
have to see the welfare of all.
The experts can tell the route, but the political executives have a larger view so
they decide the destination.
1. Explain the major powers and functions of the Prime Minister.
A.The Prime Minister is the link between the Cabinet and the President. The
decisions of the Cabinet are conveyed to the President through the Prime Minister.
It is he who keeps him informed on all matters of government.
Formation of the Cabinet: The Prime Minister prepares the list of his Council of
Ministers and sends it to the President. He can reshuffle hi? Council of Ministers
whenever he likes. He can also ask any minister to resign if he is not satisfied with
his working.
Leader of the Lok Sabha: The Prime Minister presides over the meetings of the
Cabinet. He maintains co-ordination between different departments of the
government.
Foreign Affairs: The Prime Minister plays an important role in the management of
foreign affairs. He formulates the internal and external policies of the country.
Leader of the Party: The Prime Minister has the main say in framing the policy of
his party.
Leader of the Nation: The Prime Minister is the most important leader of the
nation. People always eagerly hear his views. His views related to any internal or
external policy are heard more carefully.
2.Explain the major powers and functions of the Parliament.
Legislative Powers: The Parliament can make laws on all those subjects which
have been given in the Union List and the Concurrent List. Under certain cases, it
can also make laws on those subjects which have been given in the State List.
Control over Finance: The annual budget of the Central Government is passed by
Parliament. Without Parliament’s approval, the government cannot impose any tax
or incur any expenditure.
Control over the Executive: The Parliament can seek information regarding
administration. It can pass a resolution of no confidence against the ministry and
ask it to resign. Question hours are also quite effective in keeping the government
and its ministers under control.
Amendment or New Law: No amendment can be made in the Constitution without
the approval of the Parliament.
Functions related to Elections: The Parliament elects the President, the Vice-
President, Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Deputy Speaker. Members of the
Rajya Sabha elect the Vice-Chairman.
3.Explain briefly the powers and functions of the Supreme Court.
A. Original Jurisdiction: The original jurisdiction extends to those cases which the
Supreme Court has the authority to hear and decide in the first instance.
Between citizens of the country;
Between citizens and government;
Between two or more state governments; and
Between governments at the union and state level.
Appellate Jurisdiction: It is the highest court of appeal in civil and criminal cases.
It can hear appeals against the decisions of the High Courts.
Advisory Jurisdiction: As the highest court in the country, the Supreme Court gives
legal advice to the President of India on any legal or constitutional matter referred
to it. However, the advice is not binding on the Supreme Court.
Guardian of the Constitution: The Supreme Court acts as the guardian and final
interpreter of the Constitution. If the government passes any law or issues any
order which is in violation of the Constitution, the Supreme Court has the power to
declare the law or order unconstitutional.
Guardian of Fundamental Rights: The Supreme Court also acts as a guardian of the
fundamental rights of the citizens. When a fundamental right of any citizen is
violated by the government or any individual, he can seek the protection of the
Supreme Court.
1. Explain the composition of the Council of Ministers. Or
What is meant by council of Ministers? Explain the different categories of
ministers.
A. The Council of Ministers is a large body; it consists all the three ranks of
ministers. The Council of Ministers comprises of the three categories of ministers.
These are:
Cabinet Ministers: Constitute the inner ring of the council of ministers. These are
the top-level leaders of the ruling party / parties who are in charge of the important
ministries. They usually meet to take decisions in the name of the council of
ministers.
Ministers of State with Independent Charge: They are usually in charge of smaller
ministries. They participate in the cabinet meetings only when they are invited.
Ministers of State: They are attached to and are required to assist the Cabinet
ministers.
2. Give any three functions (or responsibilities) of the government.
Government collects taxes and uses it for administration, defense and development
programmes.
Government ensures security to the citizens and provides facilities for education
and health.
It formulates and implements several welfare schemes.
3.What is public interest litigation? What is its importance?
A.Any one can approach the courts if public interest is hurt by the actions of
government. This is called the public interest litigation. The courts intervene to
prevent the misuse of the government’s power to make decisions. They check the
malpractices on the part of public officials.

4.What is job reservation? What is its importance?

A. Under job reservation policy some percentage of total government job
vacancies are reserved for people and communities who are economically or
socially backward. Job reservation policy give a fair opportunity to those
communities who so far had not adequately been represented in government
employment.
5. Mention the ethical values which are reflected by the coalition government?
A. Accommodating different groups and factions
Alliance Interdependence Cooperation

6.Under what circumstances does the President exercise his discretion in the
appointment of the Prime Minister.
Or
Explain the discretionary powers of the President.
A. With no single party getting a clear majority, a coalition of parties stake their
claim to form the government. The President has to use his individual judgement
and invite such a leader to head the government as Prime Minister, who can
provide a stable government to the country.
3. Why is there a need for political institutions?
Or
Why are political institutions important? Give any three points.
A. To take decisions: Countries need political institutions to take decisions
regarding the welfare of the people. Institutions formulate various policies and
programs.
Implementation: The decisions which have been taken are to be implemented. So,
countries need institutions to implement the decisions.
To solve the disputes: Institutions are also needed to solve the disputes between
various institutions.
To take right decisions: Institutions help the governments to take the right
decisions.
To avoid bad decisions: Institutions follow a proper procedure to take decisions.
Institutions make it difficult to have a good decision taken very quickly but they
also make it equally difficult to rush through a bad decision.