When doctor tells a person that he/she has been affected with tetraplagia, it means that he/she is suffering from paralysis of

The correct answer is D) both hands and both legs. Tetraplegia, also called quadriplegia, means paralysis of all four limbs. The prefix 'tetra' means four. It usually follows injury to the cervical (neck) region of the spinal cord, and the damage can be partial or complete.

Why the others are wrong:

• A and B: Paralysis of a single hand is monoplegia, a condition affecting one limb only.
• C: Paralysis of both legs is paraplegia. The arms are spared in this condition.

The core concept here is the medical vocabulary of paralysis: mono-, hemi-, para- and tetra- indicate how many limbs or body sides are involved. Hemiplegia, which affects one side of the body, is a useful comparison for Mains answers on disability. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 recognises locomotor disability in a way that covers these conditions, and it matters for barrier-free access and welfare schemes.

Trap: Aspirants often read 'tetra' as a reference to the hands and confuse tetraplegia with paraplegia. Count the limbs: all four.