Before whom does a judge of a High Court take the oath of office?

The correct answer is C, the Governor of the state. Article 219 says that every person appointed to be a judge of a High Court shall, before he enters upon his office, make and subscribe an oath or affirmation before the Governor of the state, or some person appointed in that behalf by him, in the form set out in the Third Schedule.

Option A is wrong although the President appoints the judge under Article 217; appointing and swearing in are two different acts, and the President administers the oath to the judges of the Supreme Court, not of a High Court. Option B is wrong because the Chief Justice of India is only consulted on the appointment. Option D is wrong because the Chief Justice of the High Court is consulted when a judge other than the Chief Justice is appointed, but he does not administer the oath. Compare this with Article 159, where the Governor himself takes his oath before the Chief Justice of the High Court of the state.