The President of India is the head of state, first citizen and Supreme Commander of the armed forces. The President is elected for five years by an electoral college of elected MPs and elected MLAs of the states, Delhi and Puducherry, using proportional representation by single transferable vote with weighted votes. A candidate must be a citizen who meets a minimum age.
Key facts
- Elected indirectly by an electoral college of elected MPs and MLAs by single transferable vote; term five years, re-election allowed.
- Droupadi Murmu is the 15th President, in office since 25 July 2022; Rajendra Prasad was the first. (as of 23 Oct 2026)
- Assent to bills, ordinances under Article 123 and pardons under Article 72 are among the powers.
- Must be qualified for election to the Lok Sabha and meet the minimum age.
Latest
On 12 October 2026 the President appointed six Governors, including Sudha Yadav (Karnataka), Dhal Singh Bisen (Uttarakhand), Dushyant Gautam (Sikkim) and Braj Mohan Ram (Odisha), and moved Om Prakash Mathur to Keralam and R. V. Arlekar to Tamil Nadu.
Why exams ask about it
The electoral college, the first woman President, the Articles on pardons and ordinances, and impeachment are asked.