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UPSC 2023 GS-II · 15 marks · 250 words

Explain the structure of the Parliamentary Committee system. How far have the financial committees helped in the institutionalization of Indian Parliament?

What “Explain” demands

set out how or why something works, with the mechanism made explicit.

The characteristic failure: stating that it works without showing how.

What a top answer must contain

These are the checkable specifics from the marking standard for this question — the actual case, committee, datum or thinker, not an instruction to “give examples”.

  • Structure: standing (financial, DRSCs ×24 since 1993, administrative) vs ad hoc (select/JPC); rules-based, PM/Speaker roles
  • Financial three: PAC (1921, opposition chair, CAG-linked), Estimates (1950, economy suggestions), Public Undertakings (1964)
  • Institutionalisation case: continuous scrutiny between elections, cross-party working, executive answerability beyond Question Hour — PAC on 2G as instance
  • Limits: recommendations non-binding, declining referrals of bills (~16% in 17th LS), no technical staff — 'Parliament's mini-parliaments' still under-powered

The band thresholds and the pre-scored sample answers behind this standard stay private — they are the calibration your copy is placed against.

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