Consider the following:1.Demographic performance2.Forest and ecology3.Governance reforms4.Stable government5.Tax and fiscal efforts For the horizontal tax devolution, the Fifteenth Finance Commission usedhow many of the above as criteria other than population area and income distance?

1. A

   Only two

   Only two. The 15th FC used three extra criteria besides population, area and income distance.

2. B

   Only three

   Only three. Demographic performance, forest & ecology, and tax & fiscal efforts. Not governance reforms, not stable government.

3. C

   Only four

   Only four. Governance reforms and stable government were not 15th FC horizontal criteria.

4. D

   All five

   All five. Two of the five names are not in the formula.

Summary. Official key is (b) only three. For horizontal devolution the 15th Finance Commission used population, area, forest & ecology, income distance, demographic performance and tax & fiscal effort. Governance reforms and ‘stable government’ were not criteria.