UPSC Mains 2017 GS2 Q5 — Parliamentary Committees
Discuss the role of Public Accounts Committee in establishing accountability of the government to the people. (Answer in 150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Discuss
- Scope keywords
- Public Accounts Committeeestablishing accountabilitygovernment to the people
- Implicit sub-parts
- The link between PAC's technical audit function and the democratic principle of public accountability.
- How PAC acts as a bridge between the CAG's findings and Parliamentary scrutiny.
- Limitations/Challenges that prevent PAC from being fully effective in ensuring accountability.
- The 'ex-post facto' nature of its work and its significance despite being a post-mortem exercise.
- Common pitfalls
- Focusing too much on the composition (members, terms) rather than the 'accountability' role.
- Failing to mention the relationship between the PAC and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
- Treating it as a general 'Parliamentary Committees' essay without specific focus on public expenditure.
- Ignoring the fact that PAC reports are technically recommendations and not legally binding.
- Omitting the significance of the Chairman usually being from the Opposition party.
- Dimensions required
- Financial/AuditConstitutional/ParliamentaryDemocratic/RepresentativeInstitutional/Procedural
- Marks allocation hint
Devote 25 words to the intro and composition (Opposition Chair). Spend 80 words on core accountability mechanisms (CAG reports, examining waste, summoning officials). Use 30 words for limitations, and conclude with 15 words on its status as the 'watchdog' of the public purse.
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