MAINS 2014
GS2
12.5 marks
The size of the cabinet should be as big as governmental work justifies and as big as the Prime Minister can manage as a team. How far is the efficacy of a government inversely related to the size of the cabinet? Discuss.
WRITE IN
9 min
200 words
What the examiner wants
Discuss how far a smaller cabinet makes government more effective.
DiscussExplain the different sides of the issue, use evidence, and finish with a balanced view.
Demand-wise check
- 1Case for small: faster decisions, collective responsibility, less overlap, lower cost, PM can manage a team≈35 words
- 2Case against simple inverse relation: coalition needs, regional representation, workload of a large country, specialised ministries≈35 words
- 3What really matters: coordination mechanisms (Cabinet Committees, GoMs), merger of ministries, competent ministers, delegation≈35 words
- 4Constitutional cap shows the concern≈35 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
ContextWhy small helpsWhy size is not the only factorStructural reformsConclusion: optimal not minimal
Where marks usually go
- Answering yes or no without nuance on coalitions and representation
- Not mentioning the 91st Amendment cap
Draw this
- Graph sketch: efficacy vs cabinet size, inverted-U
Value addition
- Law91st Amendment (2003) capped the Council of Ministers at 15% of Lok Sabha strength (Art 75(1A)); in states 15% with a minimum of 12.Constitution, 2003
- Report2nd ARC 13th Report on Organisational Structure of Government of India (2009) recommended grouping related ministries to cut their number.2nd ARC, 2009
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Aditya Srivastava · AIR 1 · Page 3 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Alfred Thomas · Page 13 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aditya Srivastava · AIR 1 · Page 9 ↗Same syllabus reference
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Next: plan for one minute, write it in 9 minutes, then get it checked.