In the following sentence, identify the part that contains a grammatical error, or select "No error": "It is not easy for an actor to earn respect from both the fans as well as the critic."

Introduction / Context:
This question checks understanding of parallel structures and correlative conjunctions in English. The sentence talks about an actor who wants to earn respect from two groups, fans and critics. The error lies in the faulty combination of linking words that join these two groups, which is a common area of confusion in competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- Part A: It is not easy for an actor - Part B: to earn respect from both the fans - Part C: as well as the critic. - Part D: No error - Intended meaning: earning respect from two sets of people, fans and critics.

Concept / Approach:
Correlative conjunctions such as both and, either or, neither nor, and not only but also must be used in complete pairs to maintain parallel structure. In this sentence, the word both appears in Part B, but instead of being followed by and, it is followed by as well as in Part C. The structure both the fans as well as the critic is therefore incorrect. A correct version would be either both the fans and the critics or the fans as well as the critics, but not a mixture of both patterns.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the entire sentence and focus on the joining words that connect the two objects, fans and critic. Step 2: Observe that Part B uses both and Part C uses as well as, which belong to two different patterns. Step 3: Recall the correct correlative form: both X and Y. Step 4: Notice that the sentence currently uses both X as well as Y, which is not acceptable in formal English. Step 5: Recognise that this mismatch appears specifically in Part C, where as well as the critic occurs. Step 6: Therefore, Part C must be marked as containing the error.

Verification / Alternative check:
Rewrite the sentence in a correct form. A better version is: It is not easy for an actor to earn respect from both the fans and the critics. Here, both is correctly paired with and and critic is changed to critics to match fans. This revision removes the awkwardness and matches standard usage. Since the correction mainly affects the portion represented by Part C, that part clearly contains the problem in the original sentence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part A is a standard introductory clause and correctly uses the dummy subject it. Part B correctly uses the infinitive phrase to earn respect from both the fans and is grammatically sound until the word both. Part D, No error, would be correct only if A, B, and C were all flawless, which is not the case here because the correlative conjunction is wrong.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners get used to phrases like as well as and attempt to combine them with other correlative conjunctions, producing mixed structures like both as well as or either as well as. Such combinations are not accepted in formal written English. A helpful strategy is to memorise some typical pairs and to avoid changing them: always use both and together and use as well as without both in the same phrase.

Final Answer:
C is the correct choice, as Part C contains the faulty structure as well as after both.