SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                ----------------

                                    FORM 8-A
                FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) or (g) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                              VANGUARD INDEX TRUST
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


State of  Delaware                                         See below
- ------------------------                                   ----------
(State of incorporation or organization)                   (IRS Employer
                                                           Identification No.)


c/o Vanguard Index Trust
    P.O. Box 2600                                          19482
    Valley Forge, PA                                       (Zip Code)
- ----------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)

     Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
See below

     If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities
pursuant to  Section  12(b) of the  Exchange  Act and is  effective  pursuant
to General Instruction A.(c), check the following box. (x)

     If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities
pursuant to  Section  12(g) of the  Exchange  Act and is  effective  pursuant
to General Instruction A.(d), check the following box. ( )






     Securities  Act  registration  statement  file  number  to which  this form
relates: 2-565846

     Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None


     Title of each class to be registered: Vanguard Extended Market VIPERS

     Exchange:                             American Stock Exchange






ITEM 1.  DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED

     Reference is made to the Registrant's  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 83
and  Pre-Effective  Amendment No. 84 to the Registration  Statement on Form
N-1A (Securities  Act file  number  2-56846  and  Investment  Company Act file
number 811-02652,  respectively (collectively, the "Registration Statement")),
which is incorporated herein by reference.



ITEM 2.  EXHIBITS

1. Registrant's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit (a) to the Registration Statement.

2. Registrant's Amended and Restated By-Laws, incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit (b) to the Registration Statement.

3. Form of Global Certificate for the Registrant's Securities being registered
hereunder attached hereto as Exhibit 3.


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EXHIBIT 3. FORM OF GLOBAL CERTIFICATE
NUMBER
[001]
CAPITAL STOCK





             Vanguard Index Participation Equity Receipts ("Vipers")

                       Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund
                                 A SERIES of the
                              VANGUARD INDEX FUNDS
                           (A Delaware Business Trust)



     THIS  CERTIFIES  that CEDE & CO. is the holder of the  current  outstanding
number of Viper Shares  issued by the Vanguard  Extended  Market Index Fund (the
"Fund")  shown from time to time on the records of the Vanguard  Index Funds,  a
Delaware business trust (the "Trust"), as represented by this certificate of the
Trust,  transferable  only on the books and  records  of the Trust by the holder
hereof in person or by duly authorized  attorney-in-fact  upon surrender of this
Certificate properly endorsed. This Certificate is not valid until countersigned
by the transfer agent of the Trust.

     The  registered  holder of this  Certificate is entitled to all the rights,
interest  and  privileges  of a  holder  of  Viper  Shares  as  provided  by the
Declaration of Trust,  the by-laws of the Trust, and the Vanguard Funds Multiple
Class Plan as from time to time  amended,  which are  incorporated  by reference
herein.

     This  Certificate  is executed  on behalf of the Trust and the  obligations
hereof are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or shareholders of the
Trust  individually,  but are binding  only upon the assets and  property of the
Fund.


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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the said Trust has caused this Certificate to be signed
by its duly authorized officer.

Countersigned:
                                                        Dated:___________

THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,                               VANGUARD INDEX FUNDS
         (the Transfer Agent)                                (the Trust)


By:                                                     By:
   -----------------------------------------               ---------------------
     Authorized Signature                               Chief Executive Officer


Unless this  Certificate  is presented by an  authorized  representative  of The
Depository Trust Company,  a New York corporation  ("DTC"),  to the Trust or its
transfer  agent for  registration  of  transfer,  exchange or  payment,  and any
certificate  issued is  registered  in the name of Cede & Co.,  or in such other
name as is requested by an authorized  representative of DTC (and any payment is
made to Cede & Co. or to such  other  entity as is  requested  by an  authorized
representative  of DTC),  ANY TRANSFER,  PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE  BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS  WRONGFUL  inasmuch  as the  registered  owner
hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.


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                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements of Section 12 of the Securities  Exchange Act
of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.



                                      VANGUARD INDEX TRUST


Date: January 3, 2002                 By: R. Gregory Barton
                                         ------------------------------
                                               (signature)

                                           R. GREGORY BARTON
                                              SECRETARY



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