Identify which of the following is not correct in the context of NITI…

The correct answer is Option (3) → Arvind Panagariya is the current Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog

Option (1) It acts as the think-tank of the Union Government — True. NITI Aayog is the Union Government’s policy think-tank: it gives the government advice and ideas on policy, where the old Planning Commission drew up the Five Year Plans.

Option (2) P.M. appoints the Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog — True. The Prime Minister is the Chairperson of NITI Aayog and appoints its Vice Chairperson.

Option (3) Arvind Panagariya is the current Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog — False. Arvind Panagariya was the first Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog, from January 2015 to August 2017. When this paper was set in 2023, the Vice Chairperson was Suman Bery.

Option (4) It has adopted ‘Bottom-up Approach’ — True. NITI Aayog works with the States in planning (cooperative federalism), instead of handing plans down from the Centre as the Planning Commission did.

Note: This question framed by NTA is outside the NCERT books. None of them — the pre-rationalised, 2023-24, 2025-26 or 2026-27 edition — describes the work, the office-holders or the approach of NITI Aayog; the pre-rationalised book does not mention NITI Aayog at all, and the later books say only that it replaced the Planning Commission and came into existence on 1 January 2015. It is explained here for the benefit of the students.