Under the Constitution of India, who administers the oath of office to the President of India before the President enters upon office?

Introduction / Context:
When a new President of India is elected, the Constitution requires that the President take an oath or affirmation before entering upon office. This oath expresses commitment to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law, and to devote oneself to the service and well being of the people of India. Knowing who administers this oath is part of understanding the ceremonial and constitutional roles of the various high offices in the Indian political system.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question relates to the swearing in of the President of India.- It asks who administers the oath of office to the President.- The options include the Governor General of India, Chief Justice of India, Prime Minister of India and Vice President of India.

Concept / Approach:
Article 60 of the Constitution of India sets out the oath or affirmation for the President and states that it shall be made before the Chief Justice of India, or, in his absence, the senior most judge of the Supreme Court available. The Governor General of India existed under earlier British constitutional arrangements and is no longer an office in independent India. The Prime Minister and Vice President do not administer the President's oath under the Constitution. Therefore, the correct answer is the Chief Justice of India.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Rule out the Governor General of India, as this office existed only in colonial times under the Government of India Act 1935, and not under the current Constitution.Step 2: Recognise that the Prime Minister of India, while head of the Council of Ministers, does not have the constitutional role of administering the oath to the President.Step 3: Note that the Vice President of India is next in line to act as President in certain contingencies, but the Constitution does not entrust the oath administering function to this office.Step 4: Recall Article 60, which clearly states that the President shall make and subscribe the oath or affirmation in the presence of the Chief Justice of India or, in his absence, the senior most judge of the Supreme Court available.Step 5: Therefore, the Chief Justice of India is the correct authority to administer the oath to the President.

Verification / Alternative check:
Another way to remember this is to note a pattern: top constitutional functionaries often take their oaths before a senior member of the judiciary, emphasising the central role of the Constitution and the rule of law. Thus, the President takes the oath before the Chief Justice of India, while the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers are sworn in by the President.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (Governor General of India) is wrong because that colonial office no longer exists under the present Constitution.Option C (Prime Minister of India) is wrong because the Prime Minister does not administer constitutional oaths; rather, the Prime Minister takes an oath before the President.Option D (Vice President of India) is wrong because the Vice President may act as President in certain situations but does not administer the President's oath under Article 60.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the colonial office of Governor General with modern constitutional roles or assume that the Vice President, being second highest in order of precedence, must administer the oath. Another error is to think that the Prime Minister, as head of government, might perform this task. Remembering the text of Article 60 and the general practice of swearing top executive functionaries before the judiciary helps avoid these mistakes.

Final Answer:
Correct answer: The Chief Justice of India