Differences between Internal Audit & External Audit

 

                               

                                Differences between

Aspect	Internal Audit	External Audit
Independence	Within organisation	Independent of Railways
Authority	Accounts Dept (PFA)	C&AG of India
Purpose	Compliance, control, efficiency	Legality, propriety, true & fair accounts
Scope	Concurrent, risk evaluation	Annual, statutory audit
Frequency	Continuous	Annual / periodical
Reporting To	Railway management	Parliament (through PAC)
Cost	Railway administrative expenditure Major Head 3002 - erstwhile Demand Number 03	Charged to Railway revenues Major Head 3001 - erstwhile Demand Number 02)

Internal Audit and Differences between Internal Check & Internal Audit

 Internal Audit 

And

 Differences between Internal Check & Internal Audit

Internal Audit:

Objectives:

• A Service to Management

• Provides assurance of an effective system of Internal Control that is not excessive.

• Ensure reliability and integrity of accounting and financial system & Operating Performance. 

• Ensure compliance with policies, plans, procedures, laws & regulations. 

• Ensure adequacy of arrangements for safeguarding the Assets.

• Facilitate prevention & detection of frauds. 

• Highlight the deficiencies (in the system, control, practices etc), 

• Efficiency & scope for economy in the utilisation of resources. 

Internal Audit Cell

• Functioning at Hqrs as well as Divisions. 

• Normally consists of one SSO, One TIA and one ISA under the control of Dy.CAO/G or Sr.DFM

•  Theme Based Audit is one of the Important function of the Internal Audit Cell

Differences between Internal Check & Internal Audit

SN	Internal Check	Internal Audit
1	Check of Day to Day transactions.  Work of One person is proved independendently or complementary to the work of another	Selected few topics - Checking in all aspects to ensure effectiveness of System, Compliance of policies & Prevention of frauds.
2	Checking by the Same section staff	Review activity carried out by Persons totally independent of Internal check personnel
3	Frequency  Daily/Regular Basis	Frequency - Periodic Basis
4	Built in device	Not built in device
5	Object: Early detection of fraud or prevention of frauds at the time of passing Bills	Suggests System improvement & ensure compliance, service to the Management, Compliance of policies
6	Checking every aspect	Checking few selected topics thoroughly(in all aspects) in order to achieve the object of System improvement/Service to Management
7	Object: Narrow	Object: Broad
8	Basis: Transaction/Bill/Event	Basis: System as a whole

Cabinet Committees (of Government of India)

 

Cabinet Committees are:

1. Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. 

2. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. 

3. Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs.

4. Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth.

5. Cabinet Committee on Security. 

6. Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. 

7. Cabinet Committee on Employment & Skill Development. 

8. Cabinet Committee on Accommodation.

Note: The number and names of Cabinet Committees are not fixed and may change from time to time by executive order.

All committees are headed by Prime Minister, except Cabinet Committee on Accommodation and Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs

Objects: 

1. To lessen the enormous workload of the Cabinet. 

2. Facilitate an in-depth examination of policy issues

3. Principle of division of labour and effective delegation

4. Frame proposals for the Cabinet’s consideration

5. Also take decisions, but of course, Cabinet can review such decisions. 

Difference between Council of Ministers (COM) & Cabinet Committee

• COM - Council of Ministers is a Constitutional body by the Articles 74 & 75 of Constitution of India

• Where as Cabinet committee is an extra constitutional body (not mentioned in the Constitution of India) set up under the Government of India (Transaction of Business) Rules, 1961 framed under Article 77 of the Constitution. 

 Note: Cabinet Committees are empowered to take decisions on behalf of the Cabinet, though such decisions are subject to review by the Cabinet.

कैबिनेट समितियाँ हैं:

1. कैबिनेट की नियुक्ति समिति।

2. आर्थिक मामलों की कैबिनेट समिति।

3. राजनीतिक मामलों की कैबिनेट समिति।

4. निवेश और विकास पर कैबिनेट समिति।

5. सुरक्षा पर कैबिनेट समिति।

6. संसदीय मामलों की कैबिनेट समिति।

7. रोजगार और कौशल विकास पर कैबिनेट समिति।

8. आवास पर कैबिनेट समिति।

नोट: कैबिनेट समितियों की संख्या और नाम निश्चित नहीं हैं और समय-समय पर कार्यकारी आदेश द्वारा बदले जा सकते हैं।

आवास पर कैबिनेट समिति और संसदीय मामलों की कैबिनेट समिति को छोड़कर, सभी समितियों की अध्यक्षता प्रधानमंत्री करते हैं।

उद्देश्य:

1. कैबिनेट के भारी कार्यभार को कम करना।

2. नीतिगत मुद्दों की गहन जाँच को सुगम बनाना।

3. श्रम विभाजन और प्रभावी प्रत्यायोजन का सिद्धांत।

4. कैबिनेट के विचारार्थ प्रस्ताव तैयार करना।

5. निर्णय लेना भी शामिल है, लेकिन निश्चित रूप से, कैबिनेट ऐसे निर्णयों की समीक्षा कर सकता है।

मंत्रिपरिषद (COM) और कैबिनेट समिति के बीच अंतर

• COM - मंत्रिपरिषद भारत के संविधान के अनुच्छेद 74 और 75 के अनुसार एक संवैधानिक निकाय है।

• जबकि कैबिनेट समिति एक अतिरिक्त संवैधानिक निकाय (भारत के संविधान में उल्लिखित नहीं) है, जिसकी स्थापना संविधान के अनुच्छेद 77 के अंतर्गत बनाए गए भारत सरकार (कार्य संचालन) नियम, 1961 के अंतर्गत की गई है।

नोट: कैबिनेट समितियों को कैबिनेट की ओर से निर्णय लेने का अधिकार है, हालाँकि ऐसे निर्णय कैबिनेट द्वारा समीक्षा के अधीन होते हैं।

समाप्त

JPP-RCS - Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Service

 

JPP-RCS

Features: 

• Stands for Joint Parcel Product-Rapid cargo Service

• Partnership: Indian Railways and India Post

• Object: Seamless, door-to-door logistics solutions for consignments. 

• Integrated Service: India Post handles first-mile pickup and last-mile delivery, while Indian Railways manages the main transit between stations. 

First Mile	Transit between  First Mile & Last Mile	Last Mile
India Post	Indian Railways	India Post

• VAP - Virtual Aggregation Platform - An online platform developed by Indian Railways to facilitate load aggregation from multiple customers, allowing for efficient booking and tracking of consignments. 

• Time-Tabled Services: Operates on scheduled parcel trains, ensuring timely and reliable delivery of goods. (like Passenger trains) 

• Affordable Tariffs -  India Post charging Rs.6 per KG for combined pickup and delivery within municipal limits 

• Insurance coverage by third part - at 0.03% of Consignment value plus GST 

• SPOC - Single Point Of Contact: India Post act as SPC throughout the process - to interact  

• Leveraging the extensive network of both IR & India Post

First ever JPP-RCS Service - Features

•  From Budgam(J&K) to Adarsh Nagar (New Delhi)

• Pilot Project for 1 Year 

• Approved by Railway Board (on 20th August, 2025)

• By Jammu Division of Northern Railway.

• Operated Daily

• Transit time:  Estimated to take approximately 23 hours, which is notably faster than the conventional road transport between Budgam and Delhi

• Consists of 8 Parcel Vans (VPs) and 1 Seating cum Luggage Rake (SLR) 

• To streamline operations, loading and unloading facilities will be provided at Bari Brahmana (BBMN) station in addition to Budgam and Adarsh Nagar 

 Benefits: 

1. Cost-effective, efficient, and reliable alternative for transporting goods 

2. Boosting Railways’ share in the courier & freight logistics. 

3.  Benefit Kashmiri producers and traders, particularly those dealing in dry fruits, handicrafts, saffron, apples, walnuts, Pashmina shawls, and carpets  

Key Points for MCQ: 

1. JPP-RCS - Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Service

2. VAP - Virtual Aggregation Platform

3. SPOC - Single Point Of Contact 

4. Partners: IR & India Post  

5. First ever service: Budgam(J&K) to Adarsh Nagar (New Delhi)

6. Pilot Project: 1 year (Assessment at 6 Months)