Which Indian city topped the city governance ranking in the Annual Survey of India City Systems ASICS 2016?

Introduction / Context:
The Annual Survey of India City Systems is an assessment that evaluates the quality of governance and institutional systems in major Indian cities, rather than only looking at outcomes like cleanliness or infrastructure. Cities are ranked based on indicators such as transparency, accountability, financial management and urban planning. This question asks which city topped the ASICS ranking in 2016.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The survey referred to is ASICS 2016. - The ranking is about city governance quality, not about size or wealth. - Four cities are listed Hyderabad, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram and Pune.

Concept / Approach:
According to ASICS 2016, Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, emerged as the top ranked city in terms of city governance systems. It scored well on indicators like citizen participation, local government structure and financial management. This made Thiruvananthapuram stand out among Indian cities, even ahead of metros that are more prominent in size or economic output.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that ASICS rankings do not always mirror popular perceptions about big cities; smaller capitals can perform better on governance measures. Step 2: Recall that media coverage around 2016 and 2017 highlighted Thiruvananthapuram as topping the ASICS rankings. Step 3: Bangalore and Pune were often mentioned as strong performers but did not take the first spot in that particular year. Step 4: Hyderabad also appeared in the ranking but again did not secure the top position. Step 5: Therefore, from the options provided, select Thiruvananthapuram as the city that ranked first in ASICS 2016.

Verification / Alternative check:
Public reports and summaries of ASICS 2016 show tables where Thiruvananthapuram is placed at number one, followed by other cities like Pune and Kolkata in subsequent positions. These documents clearly identify Thiruvananthapuram as the top city in terms of governance quality, providing strong support for this answer in exam questions derived from that survey.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Hyderabad was part of the evaluated cities but did not top the ASICS 2016 ranking. Bangalore is an important metropolitan city and performed reasonably well in some surveys, but it was not the highest ranked in ASICS 2016. Pune also scored strongly and is sometimes near the top, but Thiruvananthapuram is the city specifically recorded as rank one that year.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may tend to assume that the largest or most famous metros like Bangalore or Hyderabad automatically lead all rankings. However, governance quality does not always correlate with city size. It is important to remember specific survey results rather than relying on intuition. In the context of ASICS 2016, anchoring the fact that a relatively smaller capital city, Thiruvananthapuram, took first place helps avoid incorrect guesses.

Final Answer:
In the ASICS 2016 city governance ranking, Thiruvananthapuram was the top ranked Indian city.