The connecting cable of electrical appliances like electric iron, water heater or contains three insulated copper wires of three different colours- red, green and black. Which one of the following is the correct colour code?

In domestic electrical wiring in India, the standard colour coding for a three-wire connecting cable ensures safety and proper circuit completion. The live wire (or phase), which carries the current from the power source to the appliance, is typically insulated in red [1]. The neutral wire, which completes the circuit by returning the current to the power supply, is insulated in black [1]. The third wire is the ground (or earth) wire, which is insulated in green; its primary function is to connect the metallic body of the appliance to the earth to prevent electric shocks in case of insulation failure. While international standards have evolved (e.g., brown for live and blue for neutral), the traditional Indian system described in the question consistently uses red for live, black for neutral, and green for ground [2].

Sources

1. [1] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 12: Magnetic Effects of Electric Current > 12.4 DOMESTIC ELECTRIC CIRCUITS > p. 204
2. [2] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 12: Magnetic Effects of Electric Current > What you have learnt > p. 206