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Executive – Class 11 Political Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 11 Political Science, chapter 4. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

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Chapter overview

The executive is the branch of government that implements laws and policies. India has a parliamentary executive: the President is the nominal head, while real power lies with the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, who are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. The permanent executive, the civil services, carries out policies and provides continuity.

Types of executive

  • In a presidential system (USA) the President is both head of state and government and is elected separately from the legislature.
  • In a parliamentary system (India, Britain) the head of government (Prime Minister) comes from and is accountable to the legislature.
  • In a semi-presidential system (France, Russia) both a President and a Prime Minister share executive powers.

President and Prime Minister

  • The President is elected for five years by an electoral college of elected members of both Houses of Parliament and of state legislative assemblies, through proportional representation by single transferable vote.
  • Under Article 74, the President acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister; the President can return advice once for reconsideration.
  • The President has discretion in some situations, such as appointing a Prime Minister when no party has a majority, and can use a 'pocket veto' by not acting on a bill.
  • The 91st Amendment (2003) limits the size of the Council of Ministers to 15 per cent of the total strength of the Lok Sabha (or the assembly in states).

Permanent executive

  • Civil servants are recruited on merit by the Union Public Service Commission and state public service commissions.
  • They are politically neutral, have security of tenure, implement policies and give advice to ministers.
  • All India Services such as the IAS and IPS serve both the Union and the states.

Key terms

Parliamentary executive
an executive that comes from and is responsible to the legislature
Nominal executive
the head of state who has formal powers, such as India's President
Collective responsibility
the principle that the Council of Ministers is jointly responsible to the Lok Sabha
Pocket veto
the President's power to keep a bill pending without acting on it
Permanent executive
civil servants who stay in office irrespective of changes in government

Important questions with answers

Why is the Indian President called a nominal executive?2 marks

The Indian President is the formal head of state, and all executive actions are taken in the President's name, but under Article 74 the President acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. Real power lies with the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, so the President is a nominal executive.

What is meant by collective responsibility?3 marks

Collective responsibility means that the Council of Ministers as a whole is responsible to the Lok Sabha. All ministers stand by the decisions of the cabinet, and if a no-confidence motion is passed against the government, the entire Council of Ministers must resign.

Explain the position and powers of the President and the Prime Minister in India's parliamentary system.5 marks

India has a parliamentary executive in which the President is the head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of government. The President is elected for five years by an electoral college of elected members of both Houses of Parliament and state legislative assemblies through proportional representation. All executive powers are vested in the President, who appoints the Prime Minister, ministers, governors, judges and other high officials, summons and prorogues Parliament, and gives assent to bills. However, under Article 74 the President must act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers; the President may return advice once for reconsideration but must accept it afterwards. The President has some discretion: returning advice, using the pocket veto on non-money bills, and appointing the Prime Minister when no party has a majority. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Lok Sabha and is the real executive. The Prime Minister chooses ministers and allocates portfolios, presides over the cabinet, coordinates policies, is the chief link between the President and the Council of Ministers, and leads the government in Parliament. The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha, and its size is limited to 15 per cent of the House. The permanent executive of civil servants implements policies.

Quick revision

  • Parliamentary executive: nominal President, real PM.
  • President elected indirectly for five years.
  • Article 74: aid and advice; pocket veto; discretion.
  • Civil services: merit, neutrality, UPSC.

Exam tips

  • Draw a chart comparing presidential, parliamentary and semi-presidential systems.
  • Remember the 15 per cent limit from the 91st Amendment.

Practice MCQs

  1. The real executive power in India lies with the

    1. President
    2. Speaker
    3. Chief Justice
    4. Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
    Show answer

    Answer: (d) Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. The President is a nominal head.

  2. The President of India is elected for

    1. five years
    2. four years
    3. six years
    4. life
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) five years. An electoral college elects the President.

  3. Civil servants at the central level are recruited by the

    1. Election Commission
    2. UPSC
    3. Finance Commission
    4. NITI Aayog
    Show answer

    Answer: (b) UPSC. Recruitment is on merit.

  4. The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the

    1. Rajya Sabha
    2. President
    3. Lok Sabha
    4. Supreme Court
    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Lok Sabha. It must keep the confidence of the Lok Sabha.

  5. The size of the Council of Ministers is limited to 15 per cent of the Lok Sabha by the

    1. 91st Amendment
    2. 42nd Amendment
    3. 73rd Amendment
    4. 44th Amendment
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) 91st Amendment. It was passed in 2003.

  6. A system where the President is both head of state and government is

    1. parliamentary
    2. presidential
    3. semi-presidential
    4. monarchical
    Show answer

    Answer: (b) presidential. The USA follows it.

  7. The President keeps a bill pending without signing or returning it. This is

    1. absolute veto
    2. ordinance
    3. suspensive veto
    4. pocket veto
    Show answer

    Answer: (d) pocket veto. The Constitution sets no time limit.

  8. When no party has a clear majority in the Lok Sabha, the President

    1. uses discretion in appointing the Prime Minister
    2. must dissolve the House
    3. rules directly
    4. appoints the Chief Justice as PM
    Show answer

    Answer: (a) uses discretion in appointing the Prime Minister. The President invites the leader most likely to win a vote of confidence.

All chapters of Class 11 Political Science

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.