Approximately how much time did the Constituent Assembly of India take to complete and adopt the Constitution of India?

Introduction / Context:
The drafting of the Constitution of India was a monumental task involving extensive debates, committee work, and revisions. The Constituent Assembly met over several sessions to discuss every part of the draft. Many general knowledge and polity questions ask exactly how long this process took from the first meeting of the Assembly to the final adoption of the Constitution. Remembering this time span highlights the effort invested in India's foundational legal document.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for the total time taken by the Constituent Assembly to complete the Constitution.
• The options offer four similar looking durations, each with 2 years and 18 days but different numbers of months.
• We assume awareness of the commonly quoted figure used in standard polity books.

Concept / Approach:
The Constituent Assembly of India first met in December 1946 and completed its work on the Constitution in November 1949, with the document coming into force on 26 January 1950. The widely accepted figure for the duration of drafting and adoption is 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days. This specific combination appears in many examination guides and is considered a core fact in Indian polity. The approach is to recognise this standard duration and select it from the options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Assembly began its work in December 1946 and completed it in late November 1949. Step 2: Convert this period into years, months, and days using the dates commonly cited in historical accounts. Step 3: Note that this period is described in most sources as 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days. Step 4: Compare this with the options given, focusing on the number of months. Step 5: Select option B, which exactly matches 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by consulting tables of important facts in standard Indian polity textbooks. These usually list the time taken to draft the Constitution as 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days, along with the total number of days and the number of sittings held by the Assembly. Consistency across multiple sources reinforces confidence in this duration.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Options A, C, and D adjust the number of months slightly but do not match the widely accepted figure. They are likely included as distractors to test careful recall. Since the exact formulation used by exam setters is usually 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days, choosing any of the other options would contradict standard references.

Common Pitfalls:
Because all four options look similar, students sometimes guess rather than remember the exact number of months. Another pitfall is confusing the time taken to draft the Constitution with the time between adoption and enforcement. To avoid mistakes, it helps to memorise the phrase completely, including the years, months, and days, as it appears in authoritative sources.

Final Answer:
The Constituent Assembly took approximately 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days to complete and adopt the Constitution of India.