The UPSC Chairman, who subsequently became the Governor of Haryana :

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1: Dr. A. R. Kidwai.

Dr. A. R. Kidwai, whose full name was Akhlaq Ur Rahman Kidwai, had a distinguished career in public service and academics, holding several significant constitutional positions in India. Before serving as a Governor, Dr. Kidwai held the prestigious constitutional post of Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The UPSC is the central recruiting agency responsible for conducting examinations for various civil services in the country, and its Chairman is a highly regarded position. After his tenure at the UPSC, Dr. Kidwai went on to serve as the Governor of several Indian states, including Haryana. He served as the Governor of Haryana from 1998 to 1999. His appointment as Governor, a key constitutional role representing the President in a state, following his chairmanship of the UPSC, makes him the unique individual identified by this question. This trajectory—moving from the Chairman of an independent constitutional body like the UPSC to the head of a state government (the Governor)—is the specific link this question seeks to test in the candidate's knowledge of prominent figures in Indian administration and state affairs. He also served multiple terms as Governor of Bihar, and was Governor of West Bengal.

The incorrect option is 2: Shri Muzaffar Husain Berney.
Shri Muzaffar Husain Berney served as the Governor of Haryana from June 14, 1984, to February 21, 1988. While he had a long and distinguished career as a civil servant in the IAS and served as the Chairman of the Minorities Commission, records do not indicate that he held the position of UPSC Chairman before becoming Governor of Haryana.

The incorrect option is 3: Shri B. N. Chakravarti.
Shri Birendra Narayan Chakravarty was the 2nd Governor of Haryana, serving for a long tenure from September 15, 1967, until his death in March 1976. Prior to his governorship, he was a distinguished Indian civil servant and diplomat, serving as Ambassador to the Netherlands and High Commissioner to Ceylon. However, there is no evidence to suggest he was the Chairman of the UPSC before assuming the gubernatorial role in Haryana.

The incorrect option is 4: Shri Mahabir Prasad.
Shri Mahabir Prasad served as the Governor of Haryana from June 14, 1995, to June 18, 2000. He was a politician and worked extensively for various social causes, including for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Minorities. His background was in politics and education (Lecturer in Geography), and he did not serve as the UPSC Chairman before his appointment as the Governor of Haryana.