Question
Consider the following statements about the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes of the Parliament of India:
1Although members are elected from both Houses, the Chairperson is appointed by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
2Twenty members are elected by the Rajya Sabha and ten members by the Lok Sabha.
3 No Minister, except for the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, is eligible to be a member of this Committee.
4Members are elected for a fixed term of two years from the date they enter their office.
AFour correct statements
BOnly one correct — Statement 2
CTwo correct, including Statement 1
DNo correct statement ✓
Four Errors at a Glance
Statement 1 — Chairperson
Appointed by RS Chairman
✓ Appointed by Speaker, Lok Sabha
Statement 2 — Composition
20 RS + 10 LS
✓ 20 LS + 10 RS (reversed)
Statement 3 — Ministers
Except SJ&E Minister eligible
✓ No Minister at all — zero exceptions
Statement 4 — Term
Two years
✓ One year
Each Statement — Detailed Explanation
1
✗ Wrong — Speaker, not RS Chairman
Chairperson appointed by Chairman of Rajya Sabha
The Chairperson of the Committee on the Welfare of SCs and STs is appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha — not the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.This follows the general rule: joint committees with a majority of Lok Sabha members are chaired by someone appointed by the Speaker. The Committee has 20 LS members and 10 RS members — since it is predominantly a Lok Sabha committee, the Speaker has the appointing power.
✓ Correct: Chairperson appointed by Speaker of Lok Sabha
Majority of members = LS → Speaker appoints Chairperson. RS Chairman appoints Chairpersons only of RS-dominated or RS-specific committees.
2
✗ Wrong — Numbers exactly reversed
20 members from Rajya Sabha + 10 from Lok Sabha
Statement 2 has the composition exactly reversed. The correct composition is:• 20 members elected by Lok Sabha
• 10 members elected by Rajya Sabha
• Total: 30 members
This 2:1 ratio (LS:RS) is the standard pattern for most Parliamentary committees that draw from both Houses — Lok Sabha, as the directly elected lower house, always has the larger share.
✓ Correct: 20 Lok Sabha + 10 Rajya Sabha = 30 total
Standard 2:1 ratio. LS has the larger share in joint Parliamentary committees. Statement 2 reverses this.
3
✗ Wrong — No Minister at all, zero exceptions
No Minister except the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment is eligible
This is wrong on two levels:1. The exception doesn’t exist: There is no exception for any Minister — including the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment. The rule is absolute: no Minister of the Union can be a member of any Parliamentary Committee.
2. Why? Parliamentary committees exercise oversight over the executive. If Ministers (who are part of the executive) were members, it would fundamentally compromise the committee’s independence and its ability to scrutinise executive actions.
This rule applies universally to all Parliamentary committees — Public Accounts Committee, Estimates Committee, Standing Committees, and this Committee too.
✓ Correct: NO Minister — not even the SJ&E Minister — can be a member
Absolute disqualification. Zero exceptions. Parliamentary committees oversee the executive — Ministers cannot be both overseer and overseen.
4
✗ Wrong — Term is one year, not two
Fixed term of two years from date of entering office
The term of members of this Committee is one year — not two years. This is consistent with the general rule for most Parliamentary committees, where members are elected annually.The one-year term ensures:
• Fresh elections each year allow new Members to rotate in
• Committee composition can reflect changes after elections or by-elections
• Accountability is refreshed annually
Note: Some other committees (like those dealing with subordinate legislation) may have different terms, but the standard term for Parliamentary committees including this one is one year.
✓ Correct: Term = one year (not two)
Standard Parliamentary committee term = 1 year. Annual elections ensure fresh composition and continued accountability.
Committee on Welfare of SCs & STs — Complete Fact Sheet
| Parameter | Correct Fact | What UPSC claimed (wrong) |
| Full name | Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes | — |
| Nature | Joint Parliamentary Committee — members from both Houses | — |
| Chairperson | Appointed by Speaker of Lok Sabha | Statement 1: “RS Chairman” ✗ |
| Composition | 20 from Lok Sabha + 10 from Rajya Sabha = 30 total | Statement 2: “20 RS + 10 LS” ✗ (reversed) |
| Ministers | No Minister of Union can be a member — NO exceptions | Statement 3: “Except SJ&E Minister” ✗ |
| Term | One year from date of election | Statement 4: “Two years” ✗ |
| Function | Examine reports of National Commission for SCs and National Commission for STs · Consider measures for welfare of SCs and STs · Review implementation of constitutional safeguards | — |
| Related commissions | National Commission for SCs (Art. 338) · National Commission for STs (Art. 338A) · Reports of both commissions are laid before Parliament and referred to this committee | — |
Memory Trick
🧠 All Four Correct Facts — Lock Them In
Chairperson = Speaker: 20 LS members vs 10 RS members → LS has majority → Speaker appoints. If RS had majority, RS Chairman would appoint. Follow the majority House rule.
Composition = 20 LS + 10 RS: Think “20:10 = Lok Sabha first, double.” LS always has the larger share in joint committees. The 2:1 ratio (LS:RS) is the standard for most Parliamentary committees.
Ministers = zero, no exceptions: This is an iron rule across ALL Parliamentary committees. No Minister — not even the most relevant one. The moment a statement says “except [any minister],” it is wrong.
Term = 1 year: Parliamentary committees are not standing bodies with long fixed terms — they are reconstituted annually. Two years = wrong for this and most Parliamentary committees. Only some constitutional bodies (like commissions) have longer terms.
