Which is the first month of Indian National calendar?

Appeared in: NORCET 5 Prelims - Sept 2023 (Shift-2)

Explanation

Chaitra is the first month of the Indian National Calendar, which is based on the Saka Era.
The calendar was adopted in 1957 and is used alongside the Gregorian calendar for official purposes by the Government of India.
The new year in this calendar typically begins on March 22nd (or March 21st in a leap year), which corresponds to Chaitra 1.

Option A: Paush is the tenth month of the Saka calendar, occurring during the winter season (approximately December-January).
Option B: Magh is the eleventh month of the Saka calendar, corresponding approximately to January-February.
Option D: Phagun (or Phalguna) is the twelfth and last month of the Saka calendar, marking the end of the year (approximately February-March).

Visual 1: Chart - A chart displaying the 12 months of the Indian National Calendar alongside their corresponding Gregorian calendar months to help with memorization.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Indian National Calendar (Saka Calendar) months as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While not a direct clinical concept, nurses in India may encounter dates from the National Calendar in official government documents, health circulars, or even some patient records, especially in rural areas.
Familiarity with the Saka calendar can prevent confusion when interpreting official schedules for public health campaigns or immunization drives announced by the government.
What if? If a government health bulletin specified a vaccination drive from 'Chaitra 1 to Chaitra 15', a nurse would need to know this corresponds to approximately March 22 to April 5 to provide correct information to the community.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question from the General Knowledge/General Intelligence section, which is part of many nursing entrance exams.
Identify the key term in the question: 'Indian National calendar' and 'first month'.
Recall the name of the first month of this specific calendar system (Saka Calendar).
Compare the recalled name (Chaitra) with the given options.
Select the option that matches your recalled knowledge.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full NORCET 5 Prelims - Sept 2023 (Shift-2)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.