UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Art treasures: strict registration soon

Q1. With reference to the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972, consider the following pairings of sections with their subject matter: 1. Section 3 — Prohibits the export of any antiquity or art treasure except by the Central Government or its authorised agency. 2. Section 14 — Provides for compulsory registration of such antiquities as may be specified by the Central Government. 3. Section 17 — Requires the holder of a registered antiquity to intimate the registering officer of any transfer of ownership, control or possession. 4. Section 25 — Empowers the Central Government to compulsorily acquire any antiquity or art treasure for preservation in a public place. Which of the pairings given above is/are correctly matched?

1. Section 3 — Prohibits the export of any antiquity or art treasure except by the Central Government or its authorised agency.
2. Section 14 — Provides for compulsory registration of such antiquities as may be specified by the Central Government.
3. Section 17 — Requires the holder of a registered antiquity to intimate the registering officer of any transfer of ownership, control or possession.
4. Section 25 — Empowers the Central Government to compulsorily acquire any antiquity or art treasure for preservation in a public place.

• A. 1, 2 and 3 only
• B. 1 and 4 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q2. The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA), tasked with preparing national registers of built heritage and antiquities in India, functions under which one of the following?

• A. Ministry of Culture, with the Archaeological Survey of India as the implementing body
• B. Ministry of Home Affairs, with the Central Bureau of Investigation as the implementing body
• C. Ministry of External Affairs, with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations as the implementing body
• D. Ministry of Education, with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts as the implementing body

Q3. Which one of the following is the principal central legislation that governs the compulsory registration, regulation of trade and control of export of antiquities and art treasures in India?

• A. The Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1878
• B. The Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904
• C. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958
• D. The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972

Q4. With reference to the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972, consider the following statements: 1. The expression 'antiquity' includes any article in existence for not less than one hundred years. 2. To be notified as an 'art treasure' under the Act, an object of art must necessarily be at least one hundred years old. 3. The Act prohibits the export of any antiquity or art treasure except by the Central Government or its authorised agency. 4. The power to compulsorily acquire any registered antiquity for preservation in a public place lies exclusively with the State Government concerned. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. The expression 'antiquity' includes any article in existence for not less than one hundred years.
2. To be notified as an 'art treasure' under the Act, an object of art must necessarily be at least one hundred years old.
3. The Act prohibits the export of any antiquity or art treasure except by the Central Government or its authorised agency.
4. The power to compulsorily acquire any registered antiquity for preservation in a public place lies exclusively with the State Government concerned.

• A. 1 and 3 only
• B. 2 and 4 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2 and 4 only

Q5. Under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972, what is the minimum age (in completed years) prescribed for an article, object or thing to qualify as an 'antiquity'?

• A. 50 years
• B. 75 years
• C. 100 years
• D. 150 years