Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and other as Reason (R) : Assertion (A) : The Council of Ministers in India is collectively responsible to both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Reason (R): Members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are eligible to become Ministers in Union Government. Select the correct answer using the codes given below. Codes :

The correct answer is D. The Assertion is false and the Reason is true.

Under Article 75(3), the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible only to the House of the People, that is, the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha cannot pass a no-confidence motion against the government, so the Assertion fails.

The Reason is true. Article 75(1) requires a minister to be a member of either House, and Article 75(5) allows a non-member to serve as minister for up to six months. Members of both Houses are therefore eligible to be ministers. Being eligible, however, does not make the Council of Ministers accountable to the Rajya Sabha.

• Option A is wrong because the Assertion is false.
• Option B is wrong for the same reason.
• Option C is wrong because the Reason is true, not false.

The core concept is parliamentary accountability under the Westminster model. Lok Sabha's control over the executive, including its power over money bills and confidence, is a frequent Mains theme in discussions on Rajya Sabha's role as the house of states.

Trap: Aspirants see that both Houses have ministers and assume collective responsibility extends to both. Eligibility to be a minister is a different question from who the government is answerable to.