The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive | Class 8 Social Science Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 3 min read
The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive from Class 8 Social Science, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
The Executive
This section describes the executive branch of the Indian government, which is responsible for implementing laws and running the administration. The executive consists of the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, and the Council of Ministers. The President is the constitutional head of the state and acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers. The Vice-President is the second highest constitutional office and also acts as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The real executive power lies with the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, who are responsible for day-to-day governance. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in the Lok Sabha and is appointed by the President. The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha, meaning they must have the confidence of the majority of its members. The section explains the roles and responsibilities of the Prime Minister and ministers, the concept of collective responsibility, and how the executive is accountable to the legislature. It also discusses the process of forming the government after elections and the role of the opposition in holding the government accountable.
📊 Diagram: Diagram showing the executive branch with the President at the top, Vice-President, Prime Minister, and Council of Ministers, illustrating the flow of authority and accountability to the Lok Sabha. (See figure_2: Structure of Indian Executive)
🧪 Activity: Activity: Students discuss the role of the Prime Minister and list the current Council of Ministers.
🔗 Connection: Leads to understanding the relationship between legislature and executive, and how they function together.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is India’s parliamentary system, and how is it structured?
India’s parliamentary system is a democratic form of government where the executive is responsible to the legislature. It is structured with the Parliament at the center, which consists of the President and two houses: the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). This bicameral system ensures representation of the people and the states. The Lok Sabha members are directly elected by the people, while the Rajya Sabha members are elected indirectly by the electoral c
2. What are the key functions of the Parliament?
The key functions of the Parliament are: (i) to make laws for the country, (ii) to control and guide the work of the government, (iii) to represent the people’s interests, (iv) to approve the budget and expenditures, and (v) to ensure that the government functions with the consent of the people.
3. What are the roles of the legislature and the executive in India’s Parliamentary democracy?
In India’s Parliamentary democracy, the legislature (Parliament) makes laws, debates policies, and controls the government. The executive (Prime Minister and Council of Ministers) implements laws and runs the administration. The executive is responsible to the legislature and must maintain its confidence to stay in power.
4. How are the legislature and the executive organised at the union and state levels?
At the union level, the legislature is the Parliament consisting of the President, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha. The executive is the President, Prime Minister, and Council of Ministers. At the state level, the legislature consists of the Governor and the State Legislative Assembly (and Legislative Council in some states). The executive includes the Governor and the Chief Minister with the Council of Ministers. Both levels follow the parliamentary system where the executive is responsible to the l
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Clear NCERT-aligned notes on Law and Social for Class 8 Social Science.