In Sikhism, what is the traditional name of the formal initiation ceremony through which a person is admitted into the Khalsa community?

Introduction / Context:
Every major religion has a formal initiation ceremony or rite of passage by which a believer publicly accepts the faith and its discipline. In Sikhism, this initiation is closely linked with the creation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh. This question checks whether the learner knows the specific Sikh term for that ceremony. Understanding this term deepens awareness of Sikh religious practice, community identity and comparative religion.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question is about Sikhism and its initiation ceremony into the Khalsa order.
• Only one option is a Sikh term connected with this ritual.
• The other options are initiation or coming of age ceremonies from different religious traditions.
• No detailed theology is required, only correct association of name and faith.

Concept / Approach:
In Sikhism, the initiation ceremony through which a Sikh is formally admitted into the Khalsa is called Amrit Sanskar or Amrit Sanchar. During this ceremony, the candidate drinks and is sprinkled with sweetened water called amrit, while specific prayers from Sikh scriptures are recited. The approach is to identify which option is a Sikh term and distinguish it from similar rites in Hinduism, Christianity and Judaism. Upanayana is a Hindu sacred thread ceremony, Baptism is a Christian sacrament and Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish coming of age ritual, not Sikh initiation.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the phrase in Sikhism in the question, which clearly narrows the context to the Sikh religion. Step 2: Recall that Guru Gobind Singh introduced a formal initiation for Sikhs into the Khalsa, involving amrit prepared in a steel bowl. Step 3: Remember that this ceremony is called Amrit Sanskar or Amrit Sanchar, and those who go through it are called Amritdhari Sikhs. Step 4: Recognise Upanayana as a Hindu rite, Baptism as a Christian sacrament and Bar Mitzvah as a Jewish rite of passage. Step 5: Since only Amrit Sanskar is a Sikh initiation ceremony into the Khalsa, select Amrit Sanskar as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Reference works on Sikhism clearly state that Amrit Sanskar or Amrit Sanchar is the initiation rite formally introduced when the Khalsa was founded in 1699. They describe the preparation of amrit, the recitation of specific hymns and the obligations accepted by the initiated Sikh. None of the other listed terms appears in Sikh practices, confirming that Amrit Sanskar is the correct term for the initiation ceremony in question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Upanayana belongs to Hindu religious practice and marks the start of formal Vedic education for certain groups. Baptism is a Christian sacrament symbolising spiritual cleansing and entry into the Christian community. Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish ceremony marking the religious adulthood of a boy. While all these are initiation or coming of age ceremonies, they belong to different religions and are not used within Sikhism. Therefore, they do not answer the specific question about the Sikh initiation into the Khalsa.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes pick a familiar word like Baptism because they associate it generally with initiation, without paying attention to the religious context specified in the question. Others may confuse Amrit Sanskar with generic terms such as baptism because both involve a liquid and a public ceremony. The safe strategy is to always match the ceremony name to the correct religion and to look for explicit clues like Sikhism or Khalsa in the stem before choosing.

Final Answer:
Correct answer: Amrit Sanskar