In the Indian Constitution, who appoints the Attorney-General of India, the highest law officer of the Union government?

Introduction / Context:
The Attorney-General of India is the highest law officer of the Union and plays a crucial advisory role for the Government of India on legal matters. Knowing who appoints this constitutional authority is a fundamental aspect of Indian polity. This question checks your understanding of the relationship between the executive and key legal officers created under the Constitution.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The subject is the appointment of the Attorney-General of India.
• Options include the President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and UPSC.
• We assume knowledge that the Attorney-General is mentioned in the Constitution (Article 76).
• There is no tricky numerical calculation; this is a direct conceptual recall question.

Concept / Approach:
Article 76 of the Constitution of India provides for the office of the Attorney-General of India. It clearly states that the President shall appoint a person who is qualified to be appointed a judge of the Supreme Court to be the Attorney-General of India. While the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers may advise or recommend names in practice, the constitutional authority that formally makes the appointment is the President. The Chief Justice of India and the Union Public Service Commission do not appoint the Attorney-General.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Article 76 deals with the Attorney-General of India. Step 2: Note that the Article states the Attorney-General is appointed by the President of India. Step 3: Understand that the Prime Minister may recommend, but the formal constitutional appointment is by the President. Step 4: Recognize that neither the Chief Justice of India nor the UPSC has the power to appoint the Attorney-General. Step 5: Therefore, select “The President of India” as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
In standard Indian polity books, the Attorney-General is always presented as the “chief legal adviser to the Government of India,” appointed by the President under Article 76. If you quickly recall how other high constitutional offices are appointed, such as judges, CAG and Election Commissioners, you will notice that the President frequently appears as the appointing authority. Confirming this pattern through any reliable constitutional summary will verify that the President appoints the Attorney-General.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Prime Minister of India: Although the Prime Minister may advise the President, the Prime Minister does not constitutionally appoint the Attorney-General.

The Chief Justice of India: The Chief Justice has important judicial and advisory roles but does not appoint the Attorney-General.
The Union Public Service Commission: UPSC conducts exams and advises on recruitment to services; it has no role in appointing the Attorney-General.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse “recommending” and “appointing” authorities, assuming that because the government of the day recommends a name, the Prime Minister is the appointing authority. Another pitfall is to mix up the role of the Chief Justice in judicial appointments with appointments of legal officers. Carefully distinguishing between who advises and who formally appoints, as written in the Constitution, helps avoid these errors.

Final Answer:
The Attorney-General of India is appointed by the President of India.