Which one of the following Articles of the Constitution of India empowers the President of India to proclaim a National Emergency?

Introduction / Context:
The Constitution of India provides for different types of emergencies that can be proclaimed by the President under specific Articles. A National Emergency, sometimes called an emergency under Article 352, affects the whole country or a large part of it and can be proclaimed on grounds such as war, external aggression or armed rebellion. This question asks you to identify the specific Article that empowers the President to proclaim such a National Emergency.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question focuses on the constitutional provision for a National Emergency.
• The options list Articles 348, 352, 356 and 360.
• We assume knowledge of the three main types of emergencies: National Emergency, President rule in states and Financial Emergency.
• We need to match the correct Article to the National Emergency provision.

Concept / Approach:
Article 352 of the Constitution of India deals with the proclamation of a National Emergency. It allows the President to declare that the security of India or any part of its territory is threatened by war, external aggression or armed rebellion. Article 356 allows the President to impose President rule in a state when there is failure of the constitutional machinery in that state. Article 360 provides for Financial Emergency. Article 348 relates to language and other matters, not emergencies. Therefore, the correct answer for a National Emergency is Article 352.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Constitution recognises three broad kinds of emergencies: National Emergency, State Emergency (President rule) and Financial Emergency. Step 2: Article 352 permits the President to proclaim a National Emergency on grounds such as war, external aggression or armed rebellion. Step 3: Article 356 allows the President to impose President rule in a state in case of failure of constitutional machinery. Step 4: Article 360 deals with the proclamation of a Financial Emergency when the financial stability or credit of India or any part of its territory is threatened. Step 5: Article 348 is connected to language and certain procedural matters in the higher judiciary, not to emergencies. Step 6: Therefore, the Article that provides for the President to proclaim a National Emergency is Article 352.

Verification / Alternative check:
Any standard polity textbook discussing emergency provisions lists them with their associated Articles: Article 352 for National Emergency, 356 for President rule and 360 for Financial Emergency. These are often memorised as a set. Past exam questions and revision notes reproducibly associate National Emergency with Article 352. The fact that Article 352 has been historically invoked during certain periods in Indian history is also widely discussed in those books. This consistent association confirms that option B is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A is wrong because Article 348 concerns language to be used in the Supreme Court and High Courts and in certain Acts, not emergency provisions.

Option C is wrong because Article 356 relates to the imposition of President rule in states, not to a nationwide National Emergency.

Option D is wrong because Article 360 deals with Financial Emergency, which is a different kind of emergency focused on financial stability, not on war or aggression.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to confuse the numbers of the emergency related Articles because they are close together and all involve the President powers. Some students accidentally pick Article 356 when they see the word emergency without noticing that it applies specifically to states. To avoid confusion, it is helpful to memorise the set 352, 356 and 360 with their respective types of emergency: National, State and Financial. Associating each number with a keyword such as war or state failure will help you choose the right Article in the exam.

Final Answer:
Article 352