UP High Court RO / ARO 10 Dec 2021 Shift 1

The Indian Standard Meridian is:

Verified Answer
A. $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}W$
B. $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}S$
C. $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}E$
D. $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}N$

Explanation:

The Indian Standard Meridian (ISM) is a specific longitudinal line chosen to represent the standard time for India. The purpose of a standard meridian is to avoid multiple local times across a country, which would create confusion in various activities like transportation, communication, and administration. \nOption (A) $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}W$: This option indicates a longitude of $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}$ West. Longitudes west of the Prime Meridian ($0^{\circ}$) are located in the Western Hemisphere. India is entirely located in the Eastern Hemisphere, so a western longitude cannot be its standard meridian. Therefore, this option is incorrect. \nOption (B) $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}S$: This option indicates a latitude of $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}$ South. Latitudes measure distance north or south of the Equator. A meridian is a line of longitude, not latitude. Furthermore, India is located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, this option is incorrect. \nOption (C) $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}E$: This option indicates a longitude of $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}$ East. This longitude passes approximately through the middle of India, near Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh. It is $5$ hours and $30$ minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), calculated as follows: $$ \text{Time difference} = \text{Longitude} \times \frac{4 \text{ minutes}}{1^{\circ}} $$ $$ \text{Time difference} = 82.5^{\circ} \times \frac{4 \text{ minutes}}{1^{\circ}} = 330 \text{ minutes} $$ $$ 330 \text{ minutes} = \frac{330}{60} \text{ hours} = 5 \text{ hours } 30 \text{ minutes} $$\nSince India is east of the Prime Meridian, its time is ahead of GMT/UTC. This is the correct Indian Standard Meridian. Therefore, this option is correct. \nOption (D) $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}N$: This option indicates a latitude of $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}$ North. As explained for option (B), a meridian is a line of longitude, not latitude. While India is in the Northern Hemisphere, this value represents a latitude, not a longitude. Therefore, this option is incorrect. \nIn conclusion, the Indian Standard Meridian is $82^{\circ}30^{\prime}E$, chosen for its central location to ensure a uniform time zone across the country.