Since Independence, how many times has a National Emergency been proclaimed in India under Article 352 of the Constitution?

Introduction / Context:
National Emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution allows the Union government to assume special powers during serious crises such as war, external aggression, or armed rebellion. Knowing how often such Emergencies have been proclaimed is a commonly tested fact in Indian Polity examinations.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question is specifically about National Emergencies under Article 352, not President's Rule under Article 356 or Financial Emergency under Article 360.
- It asks for the number of times such a National Emergency has been proclaimed since Independence.
- The options offer different counts: one, two, three, four, or five times.

Concept / Approach:
India has experienced National Emergencies three times under Article 352. The first was in 1962 during the war with China, the second in 1971 during the war with Pakistan, and the third in 1975 on grounds of internal disturbance, which continued until 1977. Although two of these overlapped in time, they are counted as separate proclamations, making the total three.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the first National Emergency was proclaimed in 1962 due to Chinese aggression and remained in force until 1968. Step 2: The second National Emergency was proclaimed in 1971 due to external aggression in the context of the conflict with Pakistan. Step 3: The third National Emergency was declared in June 1975 on the ground of internal disturbance, often referred to as the Internal Emergency. Step 4: Even though the second and third Emergencies overlapped in duration, they are counted as separate proclamations. Step 5: Therefore, the total number of National Emergencies proclaimed under Article 352 is three.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard Indian Polity texts summarise the history of National Emergencies and consistently state that India has had three such Emergencies. They provide details of dates, reasons, and political context for the 1962, 1971, and 1975 Emergencies, confirming the count of three.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Four times or five times: There have not been this many separate National Emergency proclamations under Article 352; these numbers overstate the actual count.
Two times: This would ignore one of the three distinct proclamations and is therefore incorrect.
One time: This clearly understates the number and ignores major historical events.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent confusion arises because the 1971 and 1975 Emergencies overlapped, leading some learners to think they were a single continuous Emergency. Another pitfall is to mix up National Emergencies with multiple instances of President's Rule in states or to count them together. Carefully distinguishing the types of Emergency and remembering the three distinct proclamations helps avoid mistakes.

Final Answer:
A National Emergency under Article 352 has been proclaimed in India three times since Independence.