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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                   FORM N-1A

     REGISTRATION STATEMENT (NO. 2-56846) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                           PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO.
                        POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 73


                                      AND

        REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940


                                AMENDMENT NO. 74



                              VANGUARD INDEX TRUST
        (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN DECLARATION OF TRUST)

                     P.O. BOX 2600, VALLEY FORGE, PA 19482
                    (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICE)

                  REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER (610) 669-1000

                           R. GREGORY BARTON, ESQUIRE
                                  P.O. BOX 876
                             VALLEY FORGE, PA 19482




It is proposed  that this filing become  effective on June 1, 2001,  pursuant to
Rule  (b)(i)(v)  of Rule 485.  This  post-effective  amendment  is being made to
extend the date of effectiveness for previously filed post-effective  amendments
(Post-Effective Amendments No. 61, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, and 70).










May 4, 2001




U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20549


RE:  VANGUARD INDEX FUNDS (THE TRUST)
     FILE NO.  2-56846
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Commissioners:


Pursuant to Rule 485(b)(i)(v)  under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  we
are  submitting  this  filing for the sole  purpose  of  extending  the  pending
effective  date of the 61st,  64th,  65th,  66th,  67th,  68th,  69th,  and 70th
Post-Effective Amendments to the Trust's Registration Statement.  Post-Effective
Amendment  No.61  originally  requested an effective  date of November 13, 2000.
Post-Effective  Amendments  No.64,  65, 66, 68, 69, and 70  requested  extension
dates of December 13, 2000,  January 12, 2001,  February 9, 2001, March 9, 2001,
April 6, 2001, and June 1, 2001  respectively.  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 67
was a supplement to  Post-Effective  Amendment  No. 62, which also  requested an
effective  date of February  9, 2001.  It is  proposed  that this filing  become
effective on May 24, 2001,  pursuant to Rule (b)(i)(v) of Rule 485. The contents
of Post-Effective  Amendments No. 61 and 67, which we filed under Rule 485(a) on
September 13, 2000 and January 11, 2001,  respectively,  are hereby incorporated
by reference into Post-Effective Amendment No. 73, filed herewith.

Please  contact me at (610) 503-2398 if you have any questions  concerning  this
amendment or the requested effective date. Thank you.

Sincerely,





Barry A. Mendelson
Principal and Associate Counsel


cc: Christian Sandoe, Esq., U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission




                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment
Company  Act of  1940,  the  Registrant  hereby  certifies  that  it  meets  all
requirements for effectiveness of this Registration  Statement  pursuant to Rule
485(b) under the  Securities  Act of 1933 and has duly caused this  Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized, in the Town of Valley Forge and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on
the 4th day of May, 2001.


                                          VANGUARD INDEX FUNDS

                                   BY:_____________(signature)________________

                                    (HEIDI STAM) JOHN J. BRENNAN* CHAIRMAN AND
                                              CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER


     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Post-Effective  Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by
the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated:

SIGNATURE                     TITLE                              DATE
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By:/S/ JOHN J. BRENNAN        President, Chairman, Chief      May 4, 2001
   ---------------------------Executive Officer, and Trustee
       (Heidi Stam)
      John J. Brennan*

By:/S/ CHARLES D. ELLIS  Trustee                              May 4, 2001
   ---------------------------
       (Heidi Stam)
      Charles D. Ellis*


By:/S/ JOANN HEFFERNAN HEISEN Trustee                         May 4, 2001
   ---------------------------
       (Heidi Stam)
     JoAnn Heffernan Heisen*


By:/S/ BRUCE K. MACLAURY      Trustee                         May 4, 2001
   ---------------------------
       (Heidi Stam)
      Bruce K. MacLaury*


By:/S/ BURTON G. MALKIEL      Trustee                         May 4, 2001
   ---------------------------
       (Heidi Stam)
       Burton G. Malkiel*


By:/S/ ALFRED M. RANKIN, JR.  Trustee                         May 4, 2001
   ---------------------------
       (Heidi Stam)
     Alfred M. Rankin, Jr.*


By:/S/ JAMES O. WELCH, JR.    Trustee                         May 4, 2001
   ---------------------------
       (Heidi Stam)
     James O. Welch, Jr.*


By:/S/ J. LAWRENCE WILSON     Trustee                         May 4, 2001
   ---------------------------
       (Heidi Stam)
     J. Lawrence Wilson*


By:/S/ THOMAS J. HIGGINS      Treasurer and Principal         May 4, 2001
   ---------------------------
       (Heidi Stam)           Financial Officer and Principal
      Thomas J. Higgins*      Accounting Officer

*By Power of Attorney. See File Number 33-4424, filed on January 25, 1999.
 Incorporated by Reference.