A school principal is planning the academic schedule for 2026 and wants to reuse an old printed calendar from a previous year. The calendar must match both weekdays and dates exactly (i.e., same calendar layout). If 2026 is a non-leap year, which of the following earlier years will have the same calendar as 2026?
(a) 2015
(b) 2017
(c) 2020
(d) 2022

Question

A school principal is planning the academic schedule for 2026 and wants to reuse an old printed calendar from a previous year. The calendar must match both weekdays and dates exactly (i.e., same calendar layout). If 2026 is a non-leap year, which of the following earlier years will have the same calendar as 2026?
(a) 2015
(b) 2017
(c) 2020
(d) 2022

ONLiNE UPSC · Accepted Answer

To find previous years that have the same calendar as 2026, we must:
Match both weekday-date alignment and leap year status.
2026 is a non-leap year (365 days), so only non-leap years can match.
The calendar repeats when total shift in days &equiv; 0 mod 7 (i.e., full week cycle).
Let&rsquo;s calculate the day shift year by year:

	
		
		
		
		
	
	
		
			Year
			Leap Year?
			Day Shift
			Cumulative Shift
		
		
			2025
			No
			+1
			1
		
		
			2024
			Yes
			+2
			3
		
		
			2023
			No
			+1
			4
		
		
			2022
			No
			+1
			5
		
		
			2021
			No
			+1
			6
		
		
			2020
			Yes
			+2
			1
		
		
			2019
			No
			+1
			2
		
		
			2018
			No
			+1
			3
		
		
			2017
			No
			+1
			4
		
		
			2016
			Yes
			+2
			6
		
		
			2015
			No
			+1
			0
		
	



So, 2015 Calendar is similar to 2026.

Hence, option a is correct.

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M Question 1	⏱ 0
A school principal is planning the academic schedule for 2026 and wants to reuse an old printed calendar from a previous year. The calendar must match both weekdays and dates exactly (i.e., same calendar layout). If 2026 is a non-leap year, which of the following earlier years will have the same calendar as 2026? (a) 2015 (b) 2017 (c) 2020 (d) 2022

Year	Leap Year?	Day Shift	Cumulative Shift
2025	No	+1	1
2024	Yes	+2	3
2023	No	+1	4
2022	No	+1	5
2021	No	+1	6
2020	Yes	+2	1
2019	No	+1	2
2018	No	+1	3
2017	No	+1	4
2016	Yes	+2	6
2015	No	+1	0