Art & Culture MCQs for UPSC Prelims — March 2026
Q1. The Samrat Samprati Sangrahalay inaugurated at Koba, Gandhinagar, is best described as which one of the following?
- A. A Jain heritage museum laid out in seven galleries
- B. A working Jain temple (derasar) consecrated for daily worship
- C. A Buddhist archaeological excavation site
- D. A Mauryan-coinage research archive
Q2. Within the line of 24 Tirthankaras, which position does Mahavira occupy?
- A. The 24th and last Tirthankara
- B. The first Tirthankara
- C. The 23rd Tirthankara
- D. The 22nd Tirthankara
Q3. Mahavira, whose birth Mahavir Jayanti commemorates, belongs to a traditional succession of how many Tirthankaras in Jainism?
Q4. In Jain tradition, Samrat Samprati is principally venerated for his role in the propagation of which religion?
- A. Jainism
- B. Buddhism
- C. Ajivika doctrine
- D. Vaishnavism
Q5. Samrat Samprati, after whom the newly inaugurated Jain heritage museum at Koba is named, is revered in tradition as the grandson of which Mauryan emperor?
- A. Ashoka
- B. Chandragupta Maurya
- C. Bindusara
- D. Dasaratha Maurya
Q6. In India's fertilizer sector, the primary feedstock used for the domestic manufacture of urea — and hence the link that makes urea output vulnerable to West Asia gas disruptions — is:
- A. Natural gas
- B. Rock phosphate
- C. Muriate of potash
- D. Sulphur
Q7. The May 2026 Madhya Pradesh High Court verdict on the Bhojshala complex relied heavily on an ASI scientific survey that lasted for how many days?
- A. 45 days
- B. 76 days
- C. 98 days
- D. 120 days
Q8. In the Bhojshala dispute culminating in the 2026 verdict, the Hindu side principally reveres the site as the temple of which one of the following deities?
- A. Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati)
- B. Goddess Durga
- C. Goddess Lakshmi
- D. Goddess Kali
Q9. In the context of balanced fertilisation, 'Nano Urea' is best described as which one of the following?
- A. A liquid nitrogenous fertilizer with nano-scale nitrogen particles, applied as a foliar spray to supplement basal conventional urea
- B. A granular slow-release form of urea coated with neem oil to retard nitrogen loss
- C. A nano-scale formulation of Di-Ammonium Phosphate supplying phosphorus to crops
- D. A sprayable micronutrient mixture of zinc and boron used to fortify soils
Q10. The acronym 'PM-PRANAM', associated with sustainable fertilizer use, expands to which one of the following?
- A. PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother-Earth
- B. PM Plan for Reduction of Agro-chemicals and Nutrient Augmentation Mission
- C. Promotion of Resource-efficient Agriculture and Natural Augmentation Mission
- D. Pradhan Mantri Programme for Restoration of Arable land, Nutrients and Manure
Q11. With reference to Sir Elton John's birth and early life, consider the following statements:
1. He was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
2. He was born on 25 March 1947.
3. He was born in Pinner, Middlesex, England.
4. His stage forename 'Elton' was taken from John Lennon.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- He was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
- He was born on 25 March 1947.
- He was born in Pinner, Middlesex, England.
- His stage forename 'Elton' was taken from John Lennon.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q12. The 2019 biographical musical film 'Rocketman', dramatising Sir Elton John's life, was directed by which one of the following?
- A. Dexter Fletcher
- B. Bryan Singer
- C. Stephen Daldry
- D. Baz Luhrmann
Q13. Which was Sir Elton John's first American album, the release that established him as a major international star?
- A. Elton John (1970)
- B. Empty Sky (1969)
- C. Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
- D. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Q14. Sir Elton John received his knighthood in 1998. Which reigning monarch conferred the knighthood on him?
- A. Queen Elizabeth II
- B. King Charles III
- C. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
- D. King George VI
Q15. Comparing the original 'Candle in the Wind' with its 1997 version, consider the following statements:
1. The original honoured Marilyn Monroe, whereas the 1997 version honoured Princess Diana.
2. Unlike the original, the 1997 version was written by an entirely new lyricist who had never worked with Elton John before.
3. The 1997 version was performed by Elton John at the funeral of Princess Diana.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The original honoured Marilyn Monroe, whereas the 1997 version honoured Princess Diana.
- Unlike the original, the 1997 version was written by an entirely new lyricist who had never worked with Elton John before.
- The 1997 version was performed by Elton John at the funeral of Princess Diana.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q16. With reference to the song 'Candle in the Wind', consider the following statements:
1. The original 1973 version commemorated actress Marilyn Monroe.
2. Its lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin.
3. The 1997 re-recording was a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.
4. The recorded 1997 version became the best-selling single of all time.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- The original 1973 version commemorated actress Marilyn Monroe.
- Its lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin.
- The 1997 re-recording was a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.
- The recorded 1997 version became the best-selling single of all time.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q17. With reference to Sir Elton John's AIDS philanthropy and his single-sale proceeds, consider the following statements:
1. He established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992.
2. He has donated all royalties from the sale of his singles to AIDS research.
3. The proceeds from the 1997 version of 'Candle in the Wind' were directed to Bernie Taupin rather than to charity.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- He established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992.
- He has donated all royalties from the sale of his singles to AIDS research.
- The proceeds from the 1997 version of 'Candle in the Wind' were directed to Bernie Taupin rather than to charity.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q18. Royalties from the sale of Sir Elton John's singles are channelled to HIV/AIDS research primarily through which organisation founded by him?
- A. The Elton John AIDS Foundation
- B. The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR)
- C. UNAIDS
- D. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Q19. Sir Elton John is among a select group who have won a competitive EGOT. How many people have won a competitive EGOT?
Q20. The acronym EGOT, which Sir Elton John completed in 2024, denotes a person who has won all four of which set of major North American performing-arts awards?
- A. Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony
- B. Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar and Tony
- C. Emmy, Grammy, Olivier and Tony
- D. Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and BAFTA
Q21. Which one of the following fertilizers, sold to farmers at a statutorily fixed MRP of Rs.242 per 45-kg bag, attracts the single largest subsidy commitment of the Government of India?
- A. Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP)
- B. Muriate of Potash (MOP)
- C. Urea
- D. NPK complex fertilizers
Q22. As part of the scaling-up of Nano Urea (Liquid), at how many locations in India has IFFCO set up Nano Urea (Liquid) manufacturing plants?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Five
- D. Six
Q23. India's indigenous urea capacity is reported to have reached its record level of 283.74 LMTPA in which one of the following years?
- A. 2014-15
- B. 2018-19
- C. 2022-23
- D. 2023-24
Q24. Consider the following pairings of revived/new urea units with their implementing company. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?
- 1. Ramagundam unit — Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd (Telangana)
- 2. Gorakhpur unit — Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd (Uttar Pradesh)
- 3. Gadepan-III unit — Chambal Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd (Rajasthan)
- 4. Panagarh unit — Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd (West Bengal)
- A. 4 only
- B. 1 and 3
- C. 2 only
- D. 3 and 4
Q25. Consider the following statements regarding Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in fertilizers and the One Nation One Fertilizer scheme. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1. Under DBT in fertilizers, 100% subsidy is released to fertilizer companies on the basis of actual sales to beneficiaries through PoS devices.
- 2. The single fertilizer brand introduced under the scheme is 'Bharat'.
- 3. The scheme is implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojana (PMBJP).
- 4. Under DBT, the subsidy amount is transferred directly into the bank accounts of individual farmers.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q26. Among the Phosphatic and Potassic fertilizers, which one received the highest per-tonne Nutrient Based Subsidy approved for Rabi 2025-26?
- A. Muriate of Potash (MOP)
- B. Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP)
- C. Single Super Phosphate (SSP)
- D. Ammonium Sulphate
Q27. The New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012 for urea, which incentivised greenfield and brownfield urea capacity, was amended in which one of the following years?
- A. 2010
- B. 2012
- C. 2014
- D. 2015
Q28. The 2026 announcement of NICRA's climate-risk mapping of 651 districts and the scale-up of climate-resilient farming was made by which ministry?
- A. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
- B. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- C. Ministry of Earth Sciences
- D. Ministry of Rural Development
Q29. The district-level climate risk and vulnerability assessment of agriculture under NICRA follows the protocols of which of the following bodies?
- A. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- B. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
- C. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
- D. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Q30. NICRA is implemented through how many components?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Five