Military and air force ranks analogy: “Major is related to Lieutenant in the same way Squadron Leader is related to ______”. Choose the air force rank that stands to Squadron Leader as Lieutenant stands to Major.

Introduction / Context:
This analogy compares army officer ranks with corresponding ranks in the air force. The pair “Major : Lieutenant” represents a senior rank and a junior rank within the same service. The second part asks for a similar relationship with the air force rank Squadron Leader. Understanding basic rank hierarchy in defence services is important here, rather than exact insignia or pay scales.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Army ranks in the first pair: Major and Lieutenant. • Air force rank given: Squadron Leader. • Options: Group Captain, Flying Officer, Pilot Officer, none of these. • We assume standard Indian or Commonwealth style rank structures where Major is senior to Lieutenant, and Squadron Leader is mid level in the air force.

Concept / Approach:
In the army, a Major is a field officer rank higher than Lieutenant. Thus, the first pair shows a senior rank related to a junior rank below it. In the air force, Squadron Leader is a mid level rank. Below Squadron Leader there are ranks like Flight Lieutenant and Flying Officer. Above Squadron Leader there are ranks such as Wing Commander and Group Captain. For the analogy, we must choose an air force rank that is junior to Squadron Leader in the same way that Lieutenant is junior to Major.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the army rank order around Major. Lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer rank, then usually Captain, then Major. So Major is clearly senior to Lieutenant. Step 2: Recall the air force rank order around Squadron Leader. The typical sequence is: Pilot Officer (junior), Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, Group Captain and so on. Step 3: Identify ranks that are junior to Squadron Leader. From the sequence, Pilot Officer, Flying Officer, and Flight Lieutenant are all below Squadron Leader. Step 4: Examine the options. Group Captain is senior to Squadron Leader, not junior. Flying Officer is a junior officer rank below Squadron Leader. Pilot Officer is even more junior than Flying Officer and is more like the youngest commissioned officer rank. Step 5: The analogy uses Major and Lieutenant, both common and widely recognised ranks, with Lieutenant as the junior counterpart in the same service. For Squadron Leader, the most directly comparable well known junior counterpart in the air force is Flying Officer.

Verification / Alternative check:
We interpret the pattern as “senior army rank : junior army rank :: senior air force rank : junior air force rank”. Major is clearly more senior than Lieutenant. Squadron Leader is clearly more senior than Flying Officer. Group Captain is too senior and would reverse the pattern. Pilot Officer would be a very junior rank, not the one typically paired in analogy questions with Squadron Leader. Most standard exam keys use Squadron Leader and Flying Officer as a typical senior–junior pair for such analogies.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• Group Captain: Higher than Squadron Leader, so the direction of seniority is reversed. • Pilot Officer: A junior rank, but much more junior than Squadron Leader and not the conventional partner used in Major–Lieutenant style analogies. • None of these: Incorrect because there is a correct junior rank clearly listed among the options.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusion often arises when examinees do not remember exact order of air force ranks. They may choose Group Captain simply because it sounds important or prominent. However, revising the basic rank chains before exams helps. The safe approach is to know that Major is mid level and Squadron Leader is roughly equivalent mid level rank in the air force, so Lieutenant corresponds to a junior air force rank such as Flying Officer, not to a higher one.

Final Answer:
The air force rank that completes the analogy is Flying Officer.