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Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament?
Explanation
The Committee on Estimates has 30 members, all from Lok Sabha only.[1] In comparison, the Committee on Public Accounts consists of 22 members (15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha).[2] The Committee on Public Undertakings also has 22 members: 15 from Lok Sabha and seven members from Rajya Sabha.[3] The Committee on Petitions in the Lok Sabha consists of 15 members, while in the Rajya Sabha it is composed of 10 members.[4] Therefore, with 30 members, the Committee on Estimates is the largest committee of the Parliament.
Sources- [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 24: Parliamentary Committees > Estimates Committee > p. 273
- [2] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 24: Parliamentary Committees > Pa rlia menta ry Committees > p. 272
- [3] https://prsindia.org/files/parliament/discussion_papers/Parliamentary%20Committees%20Increasing%20their%20effectiveness.pdf
- [4] https://universalinstitutions.com/parliamentary-committees/
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a textbook 'Sitter'—a direct factual hit from standard Polity resources (Laxmikanth/D.D. Basu). Missing this indicates a gap in core static preparation. The strategy is simple: Tabulate the 'Big Three' financial committees (PAC, Estimates, COPU) comparing Size, Composition (LS vs RS), and Chairman criteria.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"It has 30 members who are elected by the House."
Why this source?
- This passage lists membership sizes for the financial committees, showing comparative sizes.
- It states the Estimates Committee 'has 30 members', larger than the Public Accounts Committee's membership listed elsewhere in the same document.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The PAC consists of 15 members from the Lok Sabha and 7 members from the Rajya Sabha."
Why this source?
- This passage gives the composition of the Public Accounts Committee as 15 Lok Sabha and 7 Rajya Sabha members (22 total).
- Combined with the Estimates Committee size (30), this indicates the Public Accounts Committee is not the largest.
- This passage lists membership sizes for the financial committees, showing comparative sizes.
- It states the Estimates Committee 'has 30 members', larger than the Public Accounts Committee's membership listed elsewhere in the same document.
- This passage gives the composition of the Public Accounts Committee as 15 Lok Sabha and 7 Rajya Sabha members (22 total).
- Combined with the Estimates Committee size (30), this indicates the Public Accounts Committee is not the largest.
Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 12: The Union Legislature > p. 260
Strength: 5/5
“Committee on Public Accounts. After the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General is laid before the Parliament, it is examined by the Public Accounts Committee. Though this is a Committee of the House of the People (having 15 members from that House), by an agreement between the two Houses, seven members of the Council of States are also associated with this.”
Why relevant
Gives the membership of the Public Accounts Committee (15 members from Lok Sabha + 7 from Rajya Sabha = 22 total).
How to extend
A student could compare this explicit size (22) with sizes of other parliamentary committees to judge whether PAC is the largest.
Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 24: Parliamentary Committees > Pa rlia menta ry Committees > p. 272
Strength: 5/5
“272 of 1919 and has since been in existence. At present, it consists of 22 members (15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha). The members are elected by the Parliament every year from amongst its members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. Thus, all parties get due representation in it. The term of office of the members is one year. A minister cannot be elected as a member of the committee. The function of the committee is to examine the annual audit reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), which are laid before the Parliament by the President.”
Why relevant
Confirms the committee (context implies Public Accounts Committee) 'at present' consists of 22 members (15 Lok Sabha, 7 Rajya Sabha).
How to extend
Use this repeated attribution of size as a baseline when checking membership numbers of other committees (e.g., Estimates, Public Undertakings).
Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 24: Parliamentary Committees > Committee on Public Undertakings > p. 273
Strength: 5/5
“This committee was created in 1964 on the recommendation of the Krishna Menon Committee. Originally, it had 15 members (10 from the Lok Sabha and 5 from the Rajya Sabha). However, in 1974, its membership was raised to 22 (15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha). The members of this committee are elected by the Parliament every year from amongst its own members according to the principle of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote.
• The functions of the committee are:
• 1. to examine the reports and accounts of public undertakings”
Why relevant
States that the Committee on Public Undertakings' membership was raised to 22 (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha).
How to extend
Shows at least one other committee also has 22 members, so a student should not assume PAC is uniquely largest and should look for committees with >22 members.
Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 24: Parliamentary Committees > Ethics Committee . > p. 277
Strength: 4/5
“This committee was constituted in Rajya Sabha in 1997 and in Lok Sabha in 2000. It enforces the code of conduct of members of Parliament. It examines the cases of misconduct and recommends appropriate action. Thus, it is engaged in maintaining discipline and decorum in Parliament. The Lok Sabha committee has 5 members, while the Rajya Sabha committees has 10 members.”
Why relevant
Provides sizes of another committee (Ethics Committee: Lok Sabha 5, Rajya Sabha 10), showing many committees can be much smaller than 22.
How to extend
Helps establish that committee sizes vary; a student can compile these reported sizes to rank committees by membership.
Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 92: World Constitutions > 2014 TEST PAPER > p. 747
Strength: 3/5
“t 2014 TEST PAPER • l. Consider the following languages: • 1. Gujarati• 2. Kannada• 3. Telugu Which of the above have been declared as 'Classical Language/ Languages' by the Government? • (a) 1 and 2 only • (b) 3 only • (c) 2 and 3 only • (d) 1, 2 and 3 • 2. Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament? • (a) The Committee on Public Accounts • (b) The Committee on Estimates • (c) The Committee on Public Undertakings • (d) The Committee on Petitions • 3. The sales tax you pay while purchasing a toothpaste is a • (a) tax imposed by the Central Government • (b) tax imposed by the Central Government but collected by the State Government”
Why relevant
Contains an objective-style question asking 'Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament?' listing PAC and Public Undertakings among options, implying this is a known comparative fact tested academically.
How to extend
A student could use the options and the textbook context as a prompt to verify official membership numbers for the named committees to answer which is largest.
Gives the membership of the Public Accounts Committee (15 members from Lok Sabha + 7 from Rajya Sabha = 22 total).
A student could compare this explicit size (22) with sizes of other parliamentary committees to judge whether PAC is the largest.
Confirms the committee (context implies Public Accounts Committee) 'at present' consists of 22 members (15 Lok Sabha, 7 Rajya Sabha).
Use this repeated attribution of size as a baseline when checking membership numbers of other committees (e.g., Estimates, Public Undertakings).
States that the Committee on Public Undertakings' membership was raised to 22 (15 Lok Sabha + 7 Rajya Sabha).
Shows at least one other committee also has 22 members, so a student should not assume PAC is uniquely largest and should look for committees with >22 members.
Provides sizes of another committee (Ethics Committee: Lok Sabha 5, Rajya Sabha 10), showing many committees can be much smaller than 22.
Helps establish that committee sizes vary; a student can compile these reported sizes to rank committees by membership.
Contains an objective-style question asking 'Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament?' listing PAC and Public Undertakings among options, implying this is a known comparative fact tested academically.
A student could use the options and the textbook context as a prompt to verify official membership numbers for the named committees to answer which is largest.
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