According to the Constitution of India, what is the normal term of office of the Vice President of India from the date on which he or she enters the office?

Introduction / Context:

This question deals with a basic constitutional fact about the tenure of one of the highest offices in India, the Vice President. Competitive exams routinely test your knowledge of the terms of office for the President, Vice President, Governors, members of Parliament and other key authorities. Here, you are specifically asked about the number of years for which the Vice President holds office under normal circumstances.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The office in question is the Vice President of India.
• The term of office is expressed in years.
• No exceptional situations like resignation, removal or death are being considered; only the normal tenure is asked.
• The options list different possible term lengths ranging from two to six years.

Concept / Approach:

The Constitution of India provides that the Vice President holds office for a term of five years from the date on which he or she enters upon the office. However, the Vice President continues to hold office until a successor enters office, so the actual time in office can be slightly longer in practice. For examination purposes, the required fact to remember is simply that the term is five years, similar to that of the President, although their roles and methods of election are different.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Standard polity textbooks always pair the discussion of the President and the Vice President and explicitly mention that both have a normal term of five years. However, their electoral colleges are different, and this is explained in detail in these sources. Cross checking this across more than one book gives high confidence that five years is the correct term for the Vice President.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Four years is not prescribed for any of the top constitutional executive offices in India, so it is incorrect here.

Two years is far too short and does not correspond to the constitutional provision for the Vice President.

Six years is relevant for some offices like members of the Rajya Sabha but not for the Vice President.

Three years is also not specified in the Constitution for this office and therefore cannot be correct.

Common Pitfalls:

A common source of confusion is mixing up the tenure of members of Parliament or of other institutions with that of the Vice President. Another mistake is to assume that because the Rajya Sabha has a six year cycle, the Vice President who is ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha must also have a six year term. This is not true; the Vice President has a five year term, even though the Council of States is a continuing chamber with staggered terms for its members.

Final Answer:

The normal term of office of the Vice President of India is 5 years.