In India, the Governor of a State is appointed by which constitutional authority?

Introduction / Context:
The Governor is the constitutional head of a State in India, similar in some respects to how the President is the head of the Union. Understanding how Governors are appointed is fundamental to grasping the federal structure and the balance of power between the Union and the States. This question checks whether you correctly remember the appointing authority for State Governors as stated in the Constitution.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The office in question is the Governor of a State.
• Options include direct election by people, appointment by the Chief Minister, appointment by the Prime Minister and appointment by the President.
• We assume an understanding that India is a “Union of States” with a strong central government.
• We are asked for the constitutional appointing authority, not the political process behind the scenes.

Concept / Approach:
Article 155 of the Constitution of India states that the Governor of a State shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal. This means that, constitutionally, it is the President who appoints the Governor. While in practice the Union Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister advises the President, the formal appointing authority remains the President. Governors are not directly elected by the people, nor are they appointed by the State Chief Minister.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Governor is the nominal head of the State and is appointed, not elected. Step 2: Remember that Article 155 clearly states that the Governor is appointed by the President of India. Step 3: Note that direct elections for Governor do not exist in the Indian constitutional scheme. Step 4: Understand that the Chief Minister of a State does not appoint the Governor, though the Governor swears in the Chief Minister. Step 5: Therefore, choose “Appointed by the President of India” as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
This can be verified by any bare text of the Constitution or standard polity reference. Additionally, most news reports about Governor appointments mention that “the President appointed X as the Governor of Y State on the advice of the Union Government.” The recurring pattern of such language reinforces that the President is the constitutional appointing authority, confirming our answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Directly elected by the people of the State: India has no provision for direct election of Governors; this model is followed in some other federal systems, not in India.
Appointed by the Chief Minister of the State: The Chief Minister has no constitutional power to appoint the Governor; rather, the Governor appoints the Chief Minister after elections.
Appointed by the Prime Minister of India: In practice, the Prime Minister and Union Cabinet advise the President, but the Constitution names the President as the appointing authority.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse de facto political influence with de jure constitutional authority. Some students also mix up the Indian system with foreign federal models where Governors or equivalent officials may be directly elected. Paying attention to the actual wording of Article 155 and remembering the formal role of the President in appointments helps avoid these errors.

Final Answer:
In India, the Governor of a State is appointed by the President of India.