Which one of the following options is not a correct ascending order of commissioned ranks in the Indian defence forces?

Introduction / Context:
The commissioned officer ranks in the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy follow a fixed hierarchy from junior to senior positions. Many examinations test knowledge of this hierarchy because it reflects basic familiarity with the structure of the armed forces. In this question, several sequences of ranks are given and you are asked to identify which one is not arranged in the correct ascending order. Understanding the normal order of ranks in each service makes it straightforward to spot any incorrect sequence.

Given Data / Assumptions:

Option A gives an Army sequence from Lieutenant to General.
Option B gives an Air Force sequence from Flying Officer to Air Chief Marshal.
Option C also lists Air Force ranks but in a different order.
Option D gives a Navy sequence from Sub Lieutenant to Admiral.
All sequences are claimed to be in ascending order of seniority.
We assume the standard official rank structure of the Indian armed forces.

Concept / Approach:
The correct order for Army commissioned ranks is Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier, Major General, Lieutenant General, General. For the Air Force, the ascending order is Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, Group Captain, Air Commodore, Air Vice Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Chief Marshal. For the Navy, it is Sub Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain, Commodore, Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral. By comparing each option with these standard orders, we can quickly see which one deviates. Option C wrongly places Group Captain before Wing Commander, which reverses their correct order. Therefore, option C is not a correct ascending order.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine option A. It lists Army ranks from Lieutenant up to General in the exact official ascending order. So option A is correct. Step 2: Examine option D. It lists Naval ranks from Sub Lieutenant to Admiral in the accepted ascending order, so option D is also correct. Step 3: Examine option B. It lists Air Force ranks in the correct ascending order: Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, Group Captain, Air Commodore, Air Vice Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Chief Marshal. Step 4: Examine option C. Here, after Squadron Leader, the sequence goes to Group Captain and then Wing Commander. In reality, Wing Commander is junior to Group Captain, so the order between these two ranks is reversed. Step 5: Since option C does not provide a proper ascending sequence, it is the incorrect option.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick way to verify is to focus only on the Air Force ranks, because options B and C differ only in the relative position of Wing Commander and Group Captain. Remembering that Group Captain commands larger formations and is senior to Wing Commander immediately shows that any list where Group Captain is placed below Wing Commander is erroneous. Option B correctly places Wing Commander before Group Captain, whereas option C reverses them, confirming that option C is not a correct ascending order.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Again, “wrong” here means wrong as answers to the question asking for the incorrect sequence.
Option A is a correct sequence of Army officer ranks and therefore does not answer the question which asks for an incorrect sequence.
Option B is a correct sequence of Air Force ranks and thus is not the required incorrect option.
Option D is a correct sequence of Navy ranks and hence cannot be chosen as the wrong order.

Common Pitfalls:
Many candidates struggle to remember the exact order of intermediate ranks, especially in the Air Force and Navy. It is easy to confuse Wing Commander and Group Captain or Commodore and Captain. Another common pitfall is to read quickly and assume that two similar looking lists are identical, without noticing that two ranks have been swapped. To avoid errors, it is useful to memorise the rank hierarchy for each service and pay careful attention to the position of each rank when answering such questions.

Final Answer:
The sequence that is not in the correct ascending order of commissioned ranks is option C, which lists Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Group Captain, Wing Commander, Air Commodore, Air Vice Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Chief Marshal and incorrectly places Group Captain before Wing Commander.