Previous Year Question

The Vernal Equinox is the March equinox associated with the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. At this time, the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving northward. NASA identifies the March Equinox as the Vernal Equinox and explains that it marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

In conventional geography, the Vernal Equinox is generally represented by 21 March, while the Autumnal Equinox is represented by 23 September. Around an equinox, both hemispheres receive nearly equal illumination from the Sun, and the Sun appears over the equator. The term “equinox” itself is associated with the idea of approximately equal day and night.

An important scientific qualification: an equinox is an exact astronomical moment, not a fixed calendar day. Therefore, the actual March Equinox can fall around 19, 20, or 21 March, depending on the year. For example, NASA gives 20 March as the March Equinox date in 2026. Thus, among the conventional geography options in this PYQ, the expected answer is 21 March.