Categories of Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers (COM) comprises three types of ministers: ministers of

state, deputy ministers, and cabinet ministers. The Prime Minister is at the apex of all
three categories of council ministers. Let’s go over each of the three main categories
one by one.

Cabinet Ministers
They are the people in charge of the essential ministries of the Central Government,
such as defense, home affairs, finance, and foreign affairs. It is the Central
Government’s leading policy-making group. Cabinet Ministers are typically 18 to 25
members. They participate in critical conferences and play an essential part in the
country’s policy making process.

Ministers of State
They may be provided self-sufficient charge of departments or ministries or perhaps
be connected to cabinet ministers. These ministers do not have the opportunity to
enter cabinet meetings unless they are invited. Whenever the cabinet considers
anything essential associated with their departments, ministers of state (self-
governing charge) are asked to attend cabinet meetings.

Deputy Ministers
They work alongside ministers of state or cabinet ministers to assist them with
political, parliamentary, and administrative responsibilities. Deputy ministers are
relatively low in the hierarchy and therefore are not offered independent authority.
Because they are not cabinet members, they need not have to participate in cabinet
meetings.

The COM may occasionally include the deputy prime minister since ministers are
primarily assigned for political purposes.

Duties and Responsibilities of

Ministers
Below is the bifurcation of responsibilities of the ministers:

Collective Responsibility: Article 75 states that the Council of Ministers is

cooperatively accountable to the Lok Sabha. This implies that all the ministers are
jointly liable for every act of commission and omission.

Individual Responsibility: It is also enshrined in Article 75 and asserts that ministers

serve at the gratification of the President. This implies that President can dismiss a
minister even though the COM has the strength of the Lok Sabha. On the other
hand, the President eliminates a minister only when the Prime Minister advises.

Conclusion

To conclude, the Prime Minister presides over both the cabinet and the other two
categories of ministers. The COM is said to advise the President, although, in
actuality, the cabinet is responsible for all such activities and decisions. These are
two distinct structures that aid in the proper functioning of the government. Moreover,
the states’ COM is formed and processed in the same manner as the Centre’s
Council of Ministers. Below are some essential questions that can clear all your
remaining doubts.