← Concept Library · Polity & Governance
Polity & Governance GS 2 In the news 28 times

Parliamentary Standing Committees

Oversight Role

Parliamentary Standing Committees are permanent committees that scrutinise government functioning on a continuous basis. There are 24 Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs), each overseeing specific ministries and departments. The Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment oversees the Ministries of Social Justice, Tribal Affairs, and Minority Affairs. Committees can call witnesses, examine reports, and present findings to Parliament. Their recommendations are not binding on the government, but they carry significant persuasive value and create public accountability.

Key details
  • Standing Committees were reconstituted after the 1993 reforms to the Parliamentary Committee system.
  • A Standing Committee report tabled in Parliament becomes a public document and can be debated in both Houses.
  • Ministers are not members of Standing Committees; only MPs (other than Ministers) serve on them.
  • The Committee's recommendation to revive schemes in "fraud-free" states reflects a nuanced administrative response rather than a blanket reinstatement.
In the news

Tracked since March 11, 2026 · last seen August 28, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes

Related concepts
See it in today’s brief. Daily current affairs with every static concept explained in place.
Read the daily brief