Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament?

The correct answer is B, the Committee on Estimates. It has 30 members, all elected from the Lok Sabha. Its job is to examine the Budget estimates, suggest economies in expenditure, and check whether money is spent efficiently and within policy.

• A (Public Accounts Committee): It has 22 members, 15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha. It examines the CAG's audit reports, so it is large but not the largest.
• C (Committee on Public Undertakings): It also has 22 members (15 Lok Sabha, 7 Rajya Sabha) and oversees public sector undertakings.
• D (Committee on Petitions): It is a small committee, with about 15 members in the Lok Sabha, and handles citizens' petitions.

The core concept is the committee system as an instrument of financial accountability. For Mains, the Estimates Committee is a good example of how Parliament shapes expenditure before it is sanctioned, not only after the money is spent.

Trap: Aspirants pick the Public Accounts Committee because it is the most prominent financial committee. Prominence and size are different things, so check the membership figures.