According to NITI Aayog which of the following stated is at the top in the India Innovation Index 2019 ?

The answer is D) Karnataka. NITI Aayog's India Innovation Index 2019 ranked Karnataka first among the major states, with Maharashtra and Haryana in the leading group behind it. Tamil Nadu was also a strong performer but did not top the list, so A is wrong, and B and C are the runners-up rather than the leader.

The core concept is the state-level innovation ecosystem. The index measures enablers such as institutions, human capital, infrastructure and business sophistication, along with performance outcomes like knowledge creation and impact. A state can rank high because of strong R&D, startup density and skilled talent, not just because of its size or GDP.

For Mains, this links to GS-III on science and technology and innovation, and to the Startup India ecosystem. It also helps you explain why states compete on innovation policy.

Trap: aspirants often confuse this with the Global Innovation Index (WIPO), which ranks countries, or pick Maharashtra because it has the largest economy among these options.