The following table shows the total candidates appeared and number of candidates present, in different exam centres – P, Q and R. Study the table and answer the question that follows.

Year	P		Q		R
	Total	Present	Total	Present	Total	Present
2016	45	42	56	45	55	50
2017	50	45	75	55	45	40
2018	64	60	65	45	65	55
2019	80	69	84	72	70	62
2020	55	44	80	66	90	85

‘Total’ denotes total candidates applied for the centre, ‘Present’ denotes the candidates appeared.

In which year was the number of absentees the second highest in total across all centres?

To find the year in which the number of absentees was the second highest across all exam centres (P, Q, and R), we first need to understand how to calculate the number of absentees for each centre in a given year.

The number of absentees at any centre is the difference between the total candidates applied ('Total') and the candidates present ('Present'):

$\text{Absentees}=\text{Total}-\text{Present}$

Let us calculate the total number of absentees across all three centres (P, Q, and R) for each year:

For the year 2016:
- Centre P: 45 - 42 = 3 absentees
- Centre Q: 56 - 45 = 11 absentees
- Centre R: 55 - 50 = 5 absentees
Total absentees in 2016 = 3 + 11 + 5 = 19

For the year 2017:
- Centre P: 50 - 45 = 5 absentees
- Centre Q: 75 - 55 = 20 absentees
- Centre R: 45 - 40 = 5 absentees
Total absentees in 2017 = 5 + 20 + 5 = 30

For the year 2018:
- Centre P: 64 - 60 = 4 absentees
- Centre Q: 65 - 45 = 20 absentees
- Centre R: 65 - 55 = 10 absentees
Total absentees in 2018 = 4 + 20 + 10 = 34

For the year 2019:
- Centre P: 80 - 69 = 11 absentees
- Centre Q: 84 - 72 = 12 absentees
- Centre R: 70 - 62 = 8 absentees
Total absentees in 2019 = 11 + 12 + 8 = 31

For the year 2020:
- Centre P: 55 - 44 = 11 absentees
- Centre Q: 80 - 66 = 14 absentees
- Centre R: 90 - 85 = 5 absentees
Total absentees in 2020 = 11 + 14 + 5 = 30

Let us summarize the total absentees per year in descending order:
1. 2018: 34 absentees (Highest)
2. 2019: 31 absentees (Second Highest)
3. 2017 and 2020: 30 absentees
4. 2016: 19 absentees

Therefore, the year with the second highest number of absentees across all centres is 2019.