In modern Indian honours, in which year was Dr B. R. Ambedkar posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India highest civilian award?

Introduction / Context:
Dr B. R. Ambedkar was a principal architect of the Indian Constitution, a champion of social justice and a major leader of the Dalit movement. Recognising his contribution, the Government of India conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country highest civilian award, on him. Exam questions often test whether candidates remember the year in which this honour was given, especially because it was awarded posthumously and relatively late compared to his lifetime achievements.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The person in question is Dr B. R. Ambedkar.
• The award is the Bharat Ratna, India highest civilian honour.
• We are asked about the year when he received this award posthumously.

Concept / Approach:
Ambedkar lived from 1891 to 1956, so any award date must be after his lifetime if it is posthumous. The Bharat Ratna for Ambedkar was conferred in 1990. This date is often remembered alongside other late recognitions of national figures. The correct option must therefore match the year 1990, and other dates such as 1890, 1980 or 1989 do not fit this context.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Ambedkar passed away in 1956, so he could not have received the award while alive. Step 2: Remember that the Bharat Ratna honour for Ambedkar was announced and conferred in 1990. Step 3: Scan the options and locate the year 1990 among them. Step 4: Verify that 1890 predates his birth and 1980 or 1989 precede the actual award date. Step 5: Select option C, 1990, as the accurate year.

Verification / Alternative check:
As an alternative check, note that many general knowledge lists of Bharat Ratna awardees clearly state that Ambedkar received the award in 1990. These lists often place his name alongside other recipients from the same period, reinforcing the association of his award with that specific year. This corroborates 1990 as the correct option in the exam context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, 1890, predates Ambedkar birth and is therefore impossible. Option B, 1980, and Option D, 1989, are close to the correct decade but do not match the actual award year. Option E, 2000, is significantly later and refers to a period when other individuals were honoured. None of these alternatives correspond to the documented date when Ambedkar was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to confuse the Bharat Ratna year with other important dates in Ambedkar life, such as his birth in 1891 or events related to the Constitution. Another error is to approximate within the 1980s or 1990s without recalling the exact year. To avoid such confusion, it is useful to memorise a simple association that Ambedkar Bharat Ratna came in 1990, several decades after his death.

Final Answer:
Dr B. R. Ambedkar was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in the year 1990.