Class 8 Social Science
India and the World – Book 1
Chapter 6: The Parliamentary System — Legislature and ExecutiveDifferent Learner Friendly Notes | Civics: How India's government makes laws and takes decisions | Not a textbook replacement

What is Inside

Section 1 — Classroom Notes

Big Idea: In a democracy, power must be organised carefully — if one person or body has all the power, it leads to tyranny. India's Constitution divides government power into three branches: Legislature (makes laws), Executive (runs the government), and Judiciary (interprets laws). This chapter focuses on how Parliament works and how the executive is controlled.

India's Parliamentary System

Parliamentary vs Presidential System:
India: Parliamentary — the Executive (PM + Cabinet) comes from and is responsible to the Legislature (Parliament). PM must have Parliament's confidence to stay in power.
USA: Presidential — President is separately elected; not responsible to Congress; President can't be removed except through impeachment.

The Legislature — Parliament

How a Bill Becomes a Law

Types of Bills:
Ordinary Bill: can start in either house; must pass both houses; sent to President for assent.
Money Bill: can ONLY start in Lok Sabha; Rajya Sabha can only suggest changes (not reject); goes to President for assent.
Constitutional Amendment Bill: must pass both houses with 2/3 majority; some need state ratification too.

The Executive — President, PM and Cabinet

The President of India: Constitutional head — nominal executive. Powers on paper are vast (Commander-in-Chief, calls sessions, gives Presidential assent) but acts on advice of Council of Ministers in almost all matters. Election: elected by MPs + MLAs through a weighted proportional system (not direct citizens).

Parliamentary Mechanisms of Accountability

State Legislature — Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad

Section 2 — Easy Illustrations

Three Branches of Government Legislature Makes Laws Parliament Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha + President Controls executive through Question Hour, No Confidence Executive Runs the Government President (nominal) Prime Minister Council of Ministers Responsible to Parliament; must resign if defeated Judiciary Interprets Laws Supreme Court High Courts (states) District Courts Can strike down laws that violate the Constitution Each branch checks the others — no single branch is all-powerful. This is the "Separation of Powers."

Three branches of government — each checks the others to prevent abuse of power

How a Bill Becomes a Law Introduction Bill introduced Readings Debate + Vote Committee Detailed review Other House Same process Presidential Assent Signs = Law! Special case: Money Bill Can ONLY start in Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha can suggest; cannot reject President cannot send back a money bill

A bill's journey through Parliament to become a law

Parliament's Tools to Hold Government Accountable Question Hour First hour of every session MPs question ministers Starred: oral reply Unstarred: written reply Zero Hour After Question Hour Raise urgent issues without prior notice Public interest matters No Confidence Motion If Lok Sabha passes it entire government must resign Ultimate check on executive Keeps PM answerable to Parliament Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also audits government spending — chaired by opposition MP

Parliament's three main tools for holding the executive accountable

Section 3 — Worked Examples

Q1: Why is India's system called "Parliamentary" and not "Presidential"?

1
In India's system, the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers must be members of Parliament and must maintain the confidence (majority support) of the Lok Sabha.
2
If the Lok Sabha passes a Vote of No Confidence, the government must resign — Parliament controls the executive.
3
In a Presidential system (like the USA), the President is separately elected and is not responsible to Congress — they can only be removed through impeachment, a much harder process.
Answer: Parliamentary = executive (PM+Cabinet) comes from and is accountable to the legislature. Presidential = executive is separately elected and not directly accountable to the legislature.

Q2: What is collective responsibility and why is it important?

1
Collective responsibility means that all Cabinet members publicly support government decisions — even if they personally disagreed in Cabinet discussions.
2
If a Cabinet minister publicly criticises government policy, they must resign — this ensures a unified government voice.
3
Entire Cabinet falls together if a No Confidence Motion passes — they cannot blame only one minister; they are all accountable together.
Answer: Collective responsibility ensures the government speaks with one voice and that accountability is shared — preventing individual ministers from escaping blame while staying in office.

Q3: What is the difference between a Money Bill and an Ordinary Bill?

1
Money Bill: deals with taxation, government expenditure, or borrowing. Can ONLY start in Lok Sabha; Speaker certifies it.
2
Ordinary Bill: can start in either house; must pass both houses with simple majority.
3
Rajya Sabha can reject or hold up an Ordinary Bill — forcing compromise. But with a Money Bill, Rajya Sabha can only suggest amendments; Lok Sabha can ignore these and pass it anyway.
Answer: The key difference is that Rajya Sabha has virtually no power over Money Bills — this ensures the elected Lok Sabha controls the country's finances, not the indirectly-elected Rajya Sabha.

Q4: Why is the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) usually chaired by an opposition MP?

1
The PAC reviews whether government departments spent money as Parliament approved — it checks executive spending.
2
If the ruling party chaired this committee, they would be checking their own government's spending — a conflict of interest.
3
An opposition MP as chair provides independent scrutiny — opposition has an incentive to find any misspending by the ruling government.
Answer: Independence is essential for accountability. The opposition is the natural watchdog — they benefit politically from exposing government misuse of funds, so they investigate diligently.

Q5: How does the President of India differ from a dictator even though both hold "all executive power"?

1
A dictator acts on their own will — no accountability to any elected body. They can override laws, arrest critics, dissolve opposition.
2
India's President: Article 74 says the President shall act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers (PM + Cabinet). This is constitutionally binding.
3
President is elected by MPs and MLAs — not by direct citizens, but still through elected representatives; accountable through constitutional processes.
Answer: The President's powers are nominal — real power rests with the elected PM and Cabinet. The Constitution ensures the President cannot act unilaterally. A dictator has no such constitutional constraints.

Section 4 — Cheat Sheet

TermMeaningKey Detail
Parliamentary SystemExecutive comes from and is answerable to ParliamentPM must have Lok Sabha majority; can be removed by No Confidence Vote
LegislatureParliament — law-making bodyPresident + Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha
ExecutivePM + Cabinet — runs the governmentCollectively responsible to Lok Sabha
Money BillBill about taxes/expenditureOnly from Lok Sabha; Rajya Sabha cannot reject
Question HourMPs question ministers — first hour of ParliamentOral (Starred) and Written (Unstarred) questions
Zero HourUrgent public matters raised without noticeAfter Question Hour
No Confidence MotionParliament votes to remove the governmentIf passed — PM must resign
Collective ResponsibilityAll Cabinet ministers support government decisions publiclyMinister who disagrees must resign
Public Accounts CommitteeAudits government expenditureChaired by opposition MP for independence
Joint SittingBoth Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha meet togetherCalled when houses disagree on a bill; Lok Sabha usually wins (more members)
LevelHead of GovernmentLegislatureElected By
Central GovernmentPrime MinisterParliament (LS + RS)Lok Sabha MPs (majority)
State GovernmentChief MinisterVidhan Sabha (+ Vidhan Parishad in 7 states)Vidhan Sabha MLAs (majority)
Nominal Central HeadPresident of India—Elected by MPs + MLAs (weighted)
Nominal State HeadGovernor—Appointed by President on PM's advice

Section 5 — Take-Home Handout

Key Points to Remember

  • India's Parliamentary system: PM + Cabinet come from and are accountable to Lok Sabha
  • Parliament = President + Lok Sabha (543 MPs) + Rajya Sabha (245 members)
  • Rajya Sabha is permanent; 1/3 retire every 2 years; represents states
  • Money Bill: only Lok Sabha; Rajya Sabha cannot reject it
  • Presidential Assent required for all bills to become law
  • President acts on advice of Council of Ministers (Article 74) — nominal head
  • PM is real head; Cabinet collectively responsible — if one falls, all fall
  • Question Hour, Zero Hour, No Confidence Motion, PAC = Parliament's control tools

Practice Questions

1. What are the three branches of government? What does each one do?

2. Explain how a bill becomes a law. What is different for a Money Bill?

3. What is collective responsibility? Give an example of how it works.

4. What is Question Hour and how does it help democracy?

5. Why is the President of India considered a "nominal" head and not a real executive?

Answer Hints

Q1: Legislature (Parliament) — makes laws. Executive (PM + Cabinet) — runs the government. Judiciary (Supreme Court / High Courts) — interprets laws and strikes down unconstitutional ones. Each checks the others — no single branch is all-powerful.
Q2: Bill introduced → readings + debate → committee review → vote → passed to other house → President's assent = law. Money Bill: can only start in Lok Sabha; Speaker certifies it; Rajya Sabha cannot reject it (can only suggest); President cannot return it.
Q3: Collective responsibility means all ministers publicly support Cabinet decisions. Example: If the Cabinet decides a new education policy and a minister privately disagrees, they must either support it in Parliament or resign. If Parliament passes a No Confidence Motion, the entire Cabinet — not just the PM — must resign.
Q4: Question Hour is the first hour of each Parliament session when MPs can ask ministers about any aspect of their department's work. It ensures transparency — ministers must explain and defend their decisions publicly. It deters misuse of power since any policy can be questioned at any time.
Q5: Article 74 says the President must act on the advice of the Council of Ministers. In practice, the President cannot refuse to follow PM's advice (except in some extreme constitutional situations). All executive decisions are really made by PM + Cabinet. The President is a constitutional figurehead — like a rubber stamp, though with important reserve powers in emergencies.

Section 6 — Revision Flashcards

and see the answer

What three bodies together make up India's Parliament?
The President of India + Lok Sabha (House of the People) + Rajya Sabha (Council of States). All three must pass a bill (or the rules for each type) for it to become law.
What is the difference between Legislature and Executive?
Legislature (Parliament) MAKES laws. Executive (PM + Cabinet) IMPLEMENTS and RUNS the government using those laws. In India's parliamentary system, the executive comes from the legislature and must maintain its confidence.
What happens if the Lok Sabha passes a No Confidence Motion?
The Prime Minister and the entire Council of Ministers must resign. The President then invites the next party/coalition with a majority to form a government — or calls fresh elections.
What is a Money Bill?
A bill dealing with taxation, government expenditure, or borrowing. It can only be introduced in Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha cannot reject it — only suggest amendments, which Lok Sabha can ignore.
What does "collective responsibility" mean?
All Cabinet ministers must publicly support government decisions. If a minister disagrees with Cabinet policy and says so publicly, they must resign. If Parliament removes the government, all ministers — not just the PM — must go.
What is Question Hour?
The first hour of every Parliament session — MPs ask written questions of ministers, who must answer orally (Starred) or in writing (Unstarred). A key accountability tool — ministers must explain their departments' work.
What is Zero Hour in Parliament?
The period after Question Hour when MPs can raise urgent issues of public importance without prior notice. Used for matters that need immediate parliamentary attention — natural disasters, public protests, urgent policy failures.
Why is the Public Accounts Committee chaired by an opposition MP?
The PAC audits whether the government spent money as Parliament approved. Having an opposition MP as chair ensures independence — the opposition has every incentive to find and expose any misuse of public funds by the ruling party.
What is the role of the President under Article 74?
Article 74 says the President "shall act in accordance with the advice" of the Council of Ministers headed by the PM. This makes the President a constitutional/nominal head — real executive power is with the PM and Cabinet.
What is a Joint Sitting of Parliament?
When Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha disagree on a bill, the President can call a Joint Sitting of both houses. Decision is by simple majority. Since Lok Sabha has more members (543 vs 245), it usually wins a Joint Sitting.

Section 7 — Mind Map

Parliament President + Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha Makes all laws Executive PM + Council of Ministers Collectively responsible President = nominal head How a Bill Passes Intro → Readings → Committee → Both houses → President Money Bill: Lok Sabha only Accountability Tools Question Hour + Zero Hour No Confidence Motion Public Accounts Committee State Government Vidhan Sabha (CM) Governor = nominal head 7 states: Vidhan Parishad Separation of Powers Legislature, Executive Judiciary — each checks the others Parliamentary System Legislature & Executive Chapter 6

Mind map: Chapter 6 — The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive

Based on NCERT "India and the World: Land and the People" (Class 8, 2024). Educational reference only.