With regard to the Union Council of Ministers and the Cabinet, answer the following questions:

(a) What are the various categories of Ministers?

(b) What is the term of office of the Prime Minister and other Ministers?

(c) What are the four points of distinction between the Council of Ministers and the Cabinet?

(a) There are three categories of Ministers:

1. Cabinet Ministers — The Cabinet Ministers hold major portfolios like Home, Defence, Finance, External Affairs, Railways, etc. Only Cabinet Ministers have a right to attend meetings of the Cabinet. They together determine the policy and programme of the Government.
2. Ministers of State — They are not members of the Cabinet. They may or may not be given an independent charge of a Ministry. They do not participate in the Cabinet meetings. But they may be invited to attend meetings when matters concerning their departments are being considered.
3. Deputy Ministers — They are junior ministers and are placed under senior ministers whom they are to assist. They take no part in Cabinet deliberations.

(b) The Constitution says "the Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President."

1. In fact, the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. Therefore, the President cannot dismiss a Prime Minister so long as he enjoys the support of the majority in the Lok Sabha.
2. As far as other Ministers are concerned, they will be removed by the President on the advice of Prime Minister.
3. President's power to dismiss a Minister is in fact a power of the Prime Minister to get rid of an unwanted colleague.

(c) The four points of distinction between the Council of Ministers and the Cabinet are-

1. The Council of Ministers consists of all categories of Ministers — Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers. The 'Cabinet', on the other hand, is a smaller group consisting of some 25 senior Ministers (Cabinet Ministers). All Cabinet members are Ministers, but all Ministers are not Cabinet members.
2. In the day-to-day working of the government, the Council of Ministers as a whole rarely meets. The Cabinet, on the other hand, is a small cohesive group of senior Ministers who meet as frequently as possible. They together determine the policy and programme of the Government.
3. While Cabinet Ministers attend meetings of the Cabinet in their own right, Ministers of State can attend only if invited to attend some particular meeting. A Deputy Minister is a junior Minister. No junior Minister can attend Cabinet meeting in place of his chief, except in very extraordinary situation.
4. According to the Constitution, the President acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers. In reality, it is not the Council of Ministers but the Cabinet that advises the President.