According to the Constitution of India, what is the maximum number of members that the President can nominate to the Rajya Sabha?

Introduction / Context:
The Rajya Sabha is the Council of States, the upper house of India's Parliament. Its membership includes both elected and nominated members. The President of India nominates a limited number of members with special knowledge or practical experience in particular fields. This question tests knowledge of the maximum number of such nominated members allowed by the Constitution.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are concerned only with nominated members of the Rajya Sabha, not elected ones.
• The President nominates persons with special knowledge in fields like literature, science, art, and social service.
• The options list several possible maximum numbers.
• We assume familiarity with the basic composition of the Rajya Sabha.

Concept / Approach:
Article 80 of the Constitution deals with the composition of the Rajya Sabha. It provides that the Council of States shall consist of not more than 250 members, of whom 12 shall be nominated by the President. These nominated members are chosen for their contribution to art, literature, science, and social service. Therefore, the maximum number of nominated members is fixed at 12, and the rest are representatives of the States and Union Territories.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Article 80 specifies the size and composition of the Rajya Sabha. Step 2: Identify from memory that the total strength can be up to 250 and that 12 of those may be nominated. Step 3: Look at the options and confirm that 12 matches this constitutional provision. Step 4: Rule out other numbers which do not appear in the constitutional text regarding nomination.

Verification / Alternative check:
Checking the bare act or standard polity books confirms that the President nominates 12 members. This number has remained constant since the Constitution came into effect. Current data on Rajya Sabha composition from official parliamentary sources also show 12 nominated members when the house is at full sanctioned strength, reinforcing the accuracy of this figure.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
15, 10, 20, and 18: These figures do not appear in the constitutional provision governing nominated members. While different numbers arise in other contexts, such as total membership of various bodies, the specific clause on Rajya Sabha nomination clearly states 12 members. Therefore, all other numbers are distractors and do not match Article 80.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often mix up numbers associated with different institutions. For example, they may confuse the 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha with other numeric limits like size of the Cabinet or strength of certain commissions. Maintaining a small table of key numbers such as 545 for Lok Sabha maximum, 250 for Rajya Sabha maximum, and 12 for nominated members is a useful revision strategy.

Final Answer:
12