According to the official table of precedence in India, who ranks highest among the following authorities?

Introduction / Context:
India maintains an official table of precedence that determines the ceremonial ranking of various high dignitaries at state functions. This table is used to decide seating arrangements, order of protocol and other ceremonial matters. The question asks who ranks highest among the given options according to this order of precedence, with a special condition relating to the position of Governor within the jurisdiction of that State.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The question is restricted to the authorities listed in the options.
The options include a Governor within the State, a Deputy Prime Minister, a former President and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
It is assumed that the learner knows that the order of precedence is not the same as the line of succession to any office.
The phrase within that State is crucial when assessing the rank of the Governor.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to recall the broad pattern of the Indian order of precedence. At the top are the President and Vice President, followed by the Prime Minister and Governors within their States. In the official table, a Governor of a State within his or her own State ranks higher than a Deputy Prime Minister, a former President and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. While posts like Deputy Prime Minister may not always be in existence, the notified order of precedence still provides a relative position. Therefore, for the specific group listed in this question, the Governor of a State within that State occupies the highest rank.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand that the question is about ceremonial precedence, not political power or chronological office holding. Step 2: Recall that in the order of precedence, Governors within their own States are placed immediately after the President, Vice President and Prime Minister. Step 3: Recognise that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and a Deputy Prime Minister are ranked lower than Governors in this official list. Step 4: Note that former Presidents also have a defined place in the order, but this place is below that of a serving Governor within his or her State. Step 5: Compare the four options and identify that Governor of a State within that State is placed highest among them in the official table. Step 6: Therefore, select Governor of a State within that State as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by consulting the official order of precedence published by the Ministry of Home Affairs. In that list, Governors within their own States are at a relatively high rank, immediately after the highest national offices. Former Presidents and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha have positions further down the list. Even if there is no serving Deputy Prime Minister at present, the notified order still places this position below Governors within their States. This hierarchy confirms the correct answer for the set of options given in the question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Deputy Prime Minister of India: Holds an important political position when the post exists, but ranks below the Governor within the State in the official order of precedence.
Former President of India: Commands high respect and a significant protocol position but is listed lower than a serving Governor within his or her State.
Speaker of the Lok Sabha: Presides over the lower house of Parliament and is crucial in legislative functioning, yet in the ceremonial order, this office comes after the Governor within the State.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners may confuse political importance or media visibility with protocol rank and might assume that the Speaker or a former President always outranks a Governor. Another pitfall is ignoring the phrase within that State, which is critical because it elevates the Governor's position for functions held inside the concerned State. To avoid such errors, candidates should study a simplified version of the order of precedence and remember the broad relative positions of major offices, especially those frequently asked in examinations.

Final Answer:
Among the authorities listed, the highest rank in the Indian order of precedence is held by the Governor of a State within that State.