Which one of the following is not a correct description of the Union Cabinet ?
It is part of the Parliament.
It is responsible to the Parliament.
It remains in power till it enjoys the confidence of the Parliament.
A person from outside the Parliament can never be appointed a member of the Cabinet.
Answer is Wrong!
Answer is Right!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2021
Statement A is incorrect. The Union Cabinet is the inner core of the Council of Ministers, which is part of the executive branch of the government. The Parliament is the legislative branch. While the Cabinet is formed from members of Parliament (mostly) and is accountable to Parliament, it is constitutionally distinct from Parliament itself.
Statement B is correct. The Council of Ministers, including the Cabinet, is collectively responsible to the House of the People (Lok Sabha) as per Article 75(3).
Statement C is correct. Due to collective responsibility, the Cabinet remains in power as long as it enjoys the confidence of the Lok Sabha. A vote of no-confidence passed by the Lok Sabha against the Council of Ministers leads to the resignation of the entire Council, including the Cabinet.
Statement D is incorrect as an absolute statement. Article 75(5) states that a Minister who is not a member of either House of Parliament for any period of six consecutive months shall at the expiration of that period cease to be a Minister. This implies a person from outside Parliament can be appointed, but only temporarily unless they become a member within six months. Therefore, the statement that they *can never* be appointed is false.
However, comparing A and D as ‘not correct descriptions’, A is a more fundamental mischaracterization of the Cabinet’s place within the structure of government (Executive vs. Legislature), while D is incorrect based on a specific appointment rule. In the context of describing the Union Cabinet’s nature, A is a more significant incorrect statement.
The Union Cabinet is part of the Executive, responsible to the Parliament (Lok Sabha), and holds office based on the confidence of the Lok Sabha.