At the time this question is framed for general knowledge exams, how many Union Territories are there in India?

Introduction / Context:
India has a federal structure with States and Union Territories. While states have their own elected governments with a high degree of autonomy, Union Territories are administered in various ways, some directly by the Union Government and some with their own legislatures. The number of Union Territories has changed over time due to reorganisation and upgradation. This question asks about the number of Union Territories in India as considered in many traditional general knowledge sources and exam questions, which often reflected the situation when there were seven Union Territories.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question is about the count of Union Territories in India in a commonly tested exam context.
• The options given are 5, 6, 7 and 9.
• General knowledge books for many years listed seven Union Territories, such as Delhi and Chandigarh.
• We are assuming that the question refers to that standard reference period and pattern.

Concept / Approach:
For a long time, India had seven Union Territories: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Delhi and Puducherry. Many older exam questions and GK books are based on this configuration and list the answer as seven. Later reorganisations changed the number, but the structure of this question and its options clearly matches the earlier, widely tested pattern. Therefore, within that exam context, the correct answer among the given choices is seven Union Territories.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the traditional list of Union Territories that appeared in many general knowledge books: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Delhi and Puducherry. Step 2: Count these entities, which gives a total of seven Union Territories. Step 3: Compare this number with the provided options: 5, 6, 7 and 9. Step 4: The only option that matches the historically standard figure cited in many exam syllabi is 7. Step 5: Therefore, in that exam context, the correct answer is that there are seven Union Territories in India.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by checking older maps and government lists that show the Union Territories before later changes were implemented. These lists mention exactly seven names, which are the same ones commonly found in school textbooks and competitive exam guides for many years. Question banks from that period also take the answer as seven. Although later constitutional changes have altered the number, the phrasing and options in this particular question indicate reliance on the older seven territory framework. Hence, seven is the appropriate answer for this question as originally designed.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A is wrong because five Union Territories would exclude several well known territories like Delhi and Chandigarh; the long standing count was higher.

Option B is wrong because six is not the traditional standard figure cited in most older GK books and exam syllabi for this topic.

Option D is wrong because nine Union Territories would imply more units than the commonly known list for the period at which this question is framed.

Common Pitfalls:
One common pitfall is to mix up different time periods when memorising political geography, especially when reorganisations and mergers occur. Students may also rely solely on the latest count without noticing that some exam questions are based on earlier configurations. To avoid confusion, it is wise to check the reference year of the exam or question source and to be aware that the number of Union Territories has changed. In the context of this particular question and its traditional options, the answer that matches the standard earlier pattern is seven Union Territories.

Final Answer:
7