National Highway 7 (NH 7) was the designation for the highway that connected Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.
Prior to the 2010 renumbering of India's national highway network, NH 7 was the longest highway in the country.
This route passed through seven states, serving as a major north-south corridor.
Under the new numbering system, this route is now largely part of NH 44, which is the current longest national highway, extending from Srinagar to Kanyakumari.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
Option A: NH 15 historically connected Pathankot in Punjab to Samakhiali in Gujarat. It did not pass through Varanasi or Kanyakumari.
Option B: NH 2 was a major highway connecting Delhi to Kolkata. It was a significant part of the historical Grand Trunk Road and runs across the northern plains of India.
Option D: NH 47 was a highway in Southern India that historically connected Salem in Tamil Nadu to Kanyakumari. While it terminated at Kanyakumari, its starting point was Salem, not Varanasi.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain National Highways of India as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This is a general knowledge question. Understanding the geography and major transportation networks of India is important for general awareness.
Knowledge of major highways is useful for understanding national connectivity, trade routes, and regional development.
What if the question asked for the current longest National Highway? The answer would be NH 44, which runs from Srinagar to Kanyakumari and incorporates the old NH 7.
How to Approach the Question
This is a factual recall question from general knowledge.
First, identify the key geographical locations mentioned in the question: Varanasi and Kanyakumari.
Recall or deduce the major national highway that connects these two significant places, one in the north and one at the southern tip of India.
Evaluate the given options. NH 7 was famously known as the longest highway connecting these two points before the renumbering exercise.
Eliminate other options based on knowledge of their routes (e.g., NH 2 being the Delhi-Kolkata route).
Concept Tested & Keywords
Concept Tested: National Highways of India
Stem keywords: Varanasi, Kanyakumari, National Highway
Lead-in keywords: is
Question ID
QTtdb3LIZDFsivaIW4n_73
Practise the full KPSC Staff Nurse - 2018
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.