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Executive, Judiciary & State Level

🎓 Class 8 Social Science CBSE Theory Ch 6 — The Parliamentary System ⏱ ~15 min

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The Executive, Judiciary & State-Level Governance

NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part I | Chapter 6: The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive

Executive Functions of Parliament

The Union Executive consists of: the President, the Vice President, and the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. The Council of Ministers is chosen from among MPs of both houses and is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.

1. The President

The President is the Head of State and nominal head of the Executive. Key functions include appointing the Prime Minister and other ministers, summoning Parliament, and giving assent to bills. The Council of Ministers aids and advises the President. In specific circumstances (such as when no party holds a clear majority), the President can exercise discretionary powers.

2. The Prime Minister and Council of Ministers

The Prime Minister is the de facto executive authority. The President appoints the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Lok Sabha as PM. Key functions include:

Leading the Council

Heads the Council of Ministers and coordinates different ministries

Advising the President

Provides counsel on governance matters and important decisions

Shaping National Policy

Drives policy direction with support from civil servants who implement laws

Don't Miss Out — Moral Responsibility

In 1956, Railway Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned after a train accident, even though he was not personally blamed. He believed a minister must take moral responsibility for anything happening in their ministry. Nehru initially declined his resignation, but Shastri insisted.

Legislature vs. Executive — Key Differences

Aspect	Legislature	Executive
Composition	President + Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha	President + Vice President + Council of Ministers (headed by PM)
Main Role	Making laws and overseeing the Executive	Enforcing laws made by the Legislature
Bills	Can introduce some bills	Introduces most bills in Parliament
Accountability	Checks Executive through questions and committees	Must provide information and explanations to the Legislature
Financial	Sanctions all government expenses	Prepares and implements the approved budget

The Judiciary — Checks and Balances

The Judiciary interprets and applies the law, functioning through a system of courts. It acts as the custodian of the Constitution, ensuring all branches of government operate within constitutional principles. If Parliament passes a law violating the Constitution, or if the Executive implements laws unconstitutionally, the Judiciary has the power to intervene.

Separation of Powers

The Legislature makes laws, the Executive implements them, and the Judiciary ensures they follow the Constitution. These checks and balances prevent any single organ from becoming too powerful.

LET'S EXPLORE — Checks and Balances

L4 Analyse

What might happen if one organ — Legislature, Executive, or Judiciary — had all the power? How does each organ check the others? Can you find examples where the Judiciary has asked lawmakers to review a law?

Guidance

If one organ held all power, it could become tyrannical: laws could be made to serve the rulers rather than the people. The Legislature checks the Executive through the Question Hour and committees. The Judiciary checks both by reviewing whether laws and actions are constitutional. Even the Judiciary's actions can be reviewed through constitutional amendments by Parliament.

State-Level Legislature and Executive

Each state mirrors the Union structure with its own legislature and executive. MLAs formulate laws on State List and Concurrent List subjects.

Union, State, and Concurrent Lists

Union List

Subjects only the central government can legislate on (e.g., defence, foreign affairs, banking)

State List

Subjects only state governments can legislate on (e.g., police, public health, agriculture)

Concurrent List

Both can legislate (e.g., education, environment). If Union legislates, states must follow.

Parallel Structure — Union vs. State

Feature	Union Government	State Government
Constitutional Head	President (elected)	Governor (appointed by President)
Executive Head	Prime Minister	Chief Minister
Council of Ministers	Selected by PM	Selected by CM
Legislature	Bicameral (Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha)	Unicameral or Bicameral (Vidhan Sabha +/- Vidhan Parishad)
Presiding Officer	Speaker (Lok Sabha)	Speaker (Vidhan Sabha)
Responsibility	Collectively responsible to Lok Sabha	Collectively responsible to Vidhan Sabha

Bicameral States

Only six states have a bicameral legislature (both Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad): Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh. All remaining states have a unicameral system (Vidhan Sabha only).

Challenges to Effective Functioning

Parliament meets three times a year (Budget, Monsoon, and Winter Sessions), typically sitting 6 hours a day. However, regular disruptions, absenteeism, reduced debate quality, and disruptions of Question Hour have been concerns. Former Rajya Sabha chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu noted that productivity declined significantly, with some sessions recording as low as 6.8% productivity.

Decline in Parliament Sittings Over the Decades

L4 Analyse

Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Message

Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee said in the Lok Sabha: "Governments will come and go, parties will rise and fall. But the nation must endure, and its democracy must live on." This underscores that democratic values must be protected regardless of which party holds power.

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Competency-Based Questions

Case Study: In Country W, the legislature passes a law that discriminates against a religious minority. The executive implements it vigorously. Citizens protest but have no institution to appeal to, as there is no independent judiciary.

Q1. What democratic principle is missing in Country W that India's system provides?

L2 Understand

(A) Universal franchise
(B) Separation of powers with judicial review
(C) Bicameral legislature
(D) Federal structure

Q2. Compare the roles of the President and Prime Minister in India's parliamentary system.

L3 Apply

Q3. Analyse why declining parliamentary productivity (fewer sittings, more disruptions) is a concern for Indian democracy.

L4 Analyse

Creative Q. Role-play: Enact a short "model Parliament" session where one student plays the Speaker, three play ministers being questioned, and others play opposition MPs during Question Hour.

L6 Create

🎲 Variety Question Block

True or False

1. The Governor of a state is directly elected by the people of that state.

2. Education is on the Concurrent List, meaning both Union and State governments can legislate on it.

3. All Indian states have a bicameral legislature.

Match the Following

Column A

Column B

1. Vidhan Sabha

(a) State upper house (in some states)

2. Vidhan Parishad

(b) State legislative assembly

3. Union List

4. Concurrent List

(d) Both Union and State can legislate

Creative / Open-Ended

What type of legislature does your state have (unicameral or bicameral)? Find out and write 3-4 lines about its structure and key features.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is covered in Class 8 Civics Chapter 6 Executive Functions of Parliament?

This section of NCERT Class 8 Civics Chapter 6 covers Executive Functions of Parliament, Legislature vs. Executive — Key Differences, The Judiciary — Checks and Balances. Students learn key concepts, definitions, and real-world applications through interactive activities, diagrams, and competency-based practice aligned with the CBSE curriculum.

What are the key concepts in this chapter for CBSE exams?

The key concepts include Executive Functions of Parliament, Legislature vs. Executive — Key Differences, The Judiciary — Checks and Balances. Students should understand definitions, be able to explain cause-and-effect relationships, and apply these concepts to case-study questions as per CBSE competency-based question formats for Class 8 Civics.

How is this topic important for Class 8 board exams?

This topic from NCERT Class 8 Civics Chapter 6 is frequently tested in CBSE board exams through MCQs, short answers, and competency-based questions. Understanding the core concepts and practising application-based questions from this section is essential for scoring well.

What activities are included in this NCERT lesson?

This lesson includes interactive activities such as Think About It, Let us Explore, and discussion prompts aligned with NCERT pedagogy. These activities develop critical thinking, analysis, and evaluation skills as per Bloom's Taxonomy levels used in CBSE assessments.

How to study Class 8 Civics Chapter 6 effectively?

Study this chapter by first reading the NCERT text carefully, then reviewing all highlighted keywords and definitions. Practise the in-text activities, attempt CBQ-format questions, and revise using diagrams and summary tables. Focus on understanding concepts rather than rote memorisation.

Where can I find NCERT solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 6?

NCERT solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 6 are available on MyAISchool.in with detailed explanations for all exercise questions. The interactive lessons include CBQ practice, assertion-reason questions, and activity guidance aligned with CBSE guidelines.

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Social Science Class 8 — Exploring Society India and Beyond Part-I

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