Who is the "Chief of Army"?

Appeared in: P.CHO-2019

Explanation

This is a general knowledge question. The options list past Chiefs of the Army Staff (COAS) of India.
General Manoj Mukund Naravane was the 28th COAS, serving from December 2019 to April 2022.
Among the choices provided, he is the most recent individual to have held the post, making this the intended answer for a question likely framed during his tenure.
The current COAS (since April 30, 2022) is General Manoj Pande, who is not listed as an option.

Option A: General V.K. Singh's tenure as the 24th Chief of Army Staff was from 2010 to 2012. He retired long before the tenure of General Manoj Mukund Naravane.
Option B: General Bipin Chandra Joshi was the 17th Chief of Army Staff, serving a much earlier term from 1993 to 1994.
Option C: General Bipin Rawat was the 27th Chief of Army Staff and the immediate predecessor to General Naravane. His tenure ended in December 2019 when he was appointed as India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain General knowledge about the leadership of the Indian Armed Forces as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) is the highest-ranking officer responsible for the command, control, and administration of the Indian Army.
The COAS is a key military advisor to the Government of India and plays a crucial role in national security and strategic planning.
What if? If the question had asked for the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India, the correct answer would have been General Bipin Rawat. This highlights the distinction between the head of the Army (COAS) and the head of all three services (CDS).

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is to name the 'Chief of Army'.
Recognize that this is a general knowledge question where the answer can change over time.
Review the names provided in the options. These are all high-ranking generals of the Indian Army.
Recall or deduce the chronological order of their service. If the current chief is not listed, the question is likely outdated.
In case of an outdated question, select the most recent person from the list who held that title.
Here, General Manoj Mukund Naravane is the most recent COAS among the options, making it the most logical choice.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: General knowledge about the leadership of the Indian Armed Forces.
Stem keywords: Chief of Army
Lead-in keywords: Who is

QGe109GTKxsYqiQ6CyM2q3

Practise the full P.CHO-2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.