Under the Constitution of India, which Article specifically provides that no citizen shall, on grounds such as religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, be denied access to wells, tanks, bathing ghats and similar places of public resort that are maintained wholly or partly out of State funds?

Introduction / Context:
The Indian Constitution aims to remove social discrimination in access to public spaces and facilities. Historically, people from certain castes and communities were denied entry to wells, tanks, temples and other public places. To end such practices, the Constitution provides explicit guarantees that the State shall not deny access to public places maintained out of public funds on prohibited grounds such as religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. This question asks you to identify the precise Article that contains this important safeguard.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The focus is on access to wells, tanks, bathing ghats and similar places of public resort.- These facilities are maintained wholly or partly out of State funds or are dedicated to the use of the general public.- The prohibition is on denial of access on grounds like religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.

Concept / Approach:
Articles 14 to 18 in Part III deal with the right to equality. Article 14 provides general equality before law. Article 15 specifically prohibits discrimination by the State on certain grounds and in clause 2 extends this prohibition to access to public places such as shops, restaurants, hotels, wells, tanks, bathing ghats and roads maintained wholly or partly out of State funds. Article 16 deals with equality of opportunity in public employment and Article 17 abolishes untouchability. Therefore, only Article 15 directly mentions denial of access to public places maintained from State funds.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Article 14 speaks about equality before law and equal protection of the laws but does not enumerate specific public places.Step 2: Recall that Article 15 clause 1 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, and clause 2 prohibits any restriction on access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment or the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained by the State.Step 3: Article 16 deals with equality of opportunity in matters of public employment and is not about access to wells or tanks.Step 4: Article 17 abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice, but it does not specifically mention wells, tanks and bathing ghats in its wording, even though it is related in spirit.Step 5: Therefore, the direct and explicit reference to denial of access to such public places is found in Article 15.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick way to verify is to remember that Article 15 is the Article that both prohibits discrimination and lists certain public facilities in its text. Whenever a question mentions wells, tanks, roads or bathing ghats, you should immediately connect it with Article 15 clause 2. Articles 14, 16 and 17 are related to equality, but none of them contain the specific wording about use of public wells and tanks maintained from State funds.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (Article 14) is wrong because it provides a broad guarantee of equality before law but does not deal specifically with access to wells and tanks.Option C (Article 16) is wrong because it focuses on equality of opportunity in public employment and recruitment to State posts.Option D (Article 17) is wrong because it abolishes untouchability and makes its practice an offence, but it does not contain the exact clause on access to wells, tanks and bathing ghats maintained out of State funds.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners assume that any question mentioning discrimination must be answered with Article 14, because it is the first equality Article they remember. Others automatically choose Article 17 when they see reference to wells and tanks, linking it to the social evil of untouchability. While the spirit of Article 17 is closely connected, the examination requires the specific textual match, which is found in Article 15 clause 2. Always read the stem carefully and match the language with the precise constitutional Article.

Final Answer:
Correct answer: Article 15