Out of the following statements, choose the one that brings out the principle underlying the Cabinet form of Government:

The correct answer is C. The Cabinet system rests on collective responsibility: under Article 75(3) the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. Every minister stands behind government decisions, and the whole team must resign if the House withdraws confidence. This is what ties the executive to the people's elected representatives in a parliamentary democracy.

• A is wrong. The system does not aim to shield the government from criticism. Collective responsibility makes the government answerable, and that is the opposite of insulation.
• B is wrong. Speed of administration is not the underlying principle. Efficiency may be a by-product of a cabinet, but the design is about accountability.
• D is wrong. The Cabinet form does not strengthen the head of government. The Prime Minister is primus inter pares, the first among equals, who acts on the Council's collective advice under Article 74. The personal popularity of the leader is not the basis of the system.

Mains connection: this is the core of the executive-legislature relationship in GS-2. Expect questions on how collective responsibility differs from individual ministerial responsibility, and on how coalition politics tests it.

Trap: aspirants pick B or D because they associate the cabinet with a strong or efficient executive. The question asks about the principle, which is accountability to the legislature, not the functioning of the government.