With reference to the National Calendar, which of the statements is/are correct? 1) The National Calendar of India is based on Vikram Era. 2) The National Calendar is adopted from January 26, 1950 Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Statement 1 is wrong. The National Calendar is based on the Saka Era, which starts from 78 CE, not the Vikram Era (57 BCE). The Vikram Samvat is widely used in northern India for religious and regional purposes, and that is exactly why it gets confused here.

Statement 2 is also wrong. The National Calendar was adopted from 22 March 1957 (Chaitra 1, 1879 Saka), alongside the Gregorian calendar for official use. 26 January 1950 is the date the Constitution came into force, which is the date the question tempts you with.

• Option A is wrong because statement 1 is false.
• Option B is wrong because statement 2 is false.
• Option C is wrong because both statements are false.
• Option D is correct: neither statement holds.

The core concept is the Calendar Reform Committee of 1952, chaired by Meghnad Saha, which recommended a Saka-based national calendar with Gregorian dates for government use. For Mains, it links to the discussion on national identity and the coexistence of regional calendars.

Trap: Aspirants pick the Vikram Era because it is popular in north India, and they tie the calendar to the Constitution's commencement date.