In which year was the Supreme Court of India formally established as the highest court of the country?

Introduction / Context:
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial authority and the final court of appeal in the country. It replaced the Federal Court of India and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as the top court after the adoption of the Constitution. Knowing the year in which the Supreme Court formally came into existence is a basic but frequently tested fact in examinations related to Indian polity, history, and legal studies.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for the year of establishment of the Supreme Court of India.
• Options include the years just around the time the Constitution came into force and some later or earlier years.
• We assume the reference is to the modern Supreme Court in New Delhi, not earlier colonial courts.

Concept / Approach:
The Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950. Shortly after, on 28 January 1950, the Supreme Court of India was inaugurated, replacing the Federal Court which had been functioning under the Government of India Act 1935. Therefore, while the exact date is in January 1950, the year to be marked is 1950. The other years listed are either before independence or after the Supreme Court was already functional.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Supreme Court of India was inaugurated on 28 January 1950.Step 2: Link this date with the year 1950, which is very soon after the Constitution came into effect.Step 3: Eliminate 1947, which is the year of independence but not the year the Supreme Court was created.Step 4: Eliminate 1949 and 1951, which are near dates but do not match the inauguration year.Step 5: Eliminate 1962, which is far too late. Select 1950 as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
One way to verify is to remember that India needed a new top court after the Constitution came into force, so the creation of the Supreme Court logically follows 1950 rather than 1947. Standard polity reference books clearly state that the Supreme Court of India was established on 28 January 1950. This date and the year 1950 are consistently repeated in exam oriented materials, leaving no doubt about the correct option.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The year 1947 marks political independence, but at that time the Federal Court and Privy Council still had roles. The year 1949 is close to the adoption of the Constitution text but still does not match the inauguration of the Supreme Court. The year 1951 is after the court was already operating and is mainly associated with early elections. The year 1962 is even later and has no direct link with the founding of the Supreme Court. Hence, these years do not satisfy the requirement in the question.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates confuse independence and constitution dates with the inauguration of institutions. They may guess 1947 or 1949 without remembering the specific inauguration year of the Supreme Court. Others vaguely remember the date 28 January but forget the year. A useful memory trick is to associate 26 January 1950 with the Constitution and 28 January 1950 with the Supreme Court beginning its work, both in the same year 1950.

Final Answer:
1950