Art & Culture MCQs for UPSC Prelims — July 2026
Q1. Around a centrally protected monument such as Bhojshala, how far do the prohibited area and the regulated area extend under the AMASR Act, 1958?
- A. 200 metres of prohibited area, and 100 metres beyond it as regulated area
- B. 100 metres of prohibited area, and 200 metres beyond it as regulated area
- C. 50 metres of prohibited area, and 250 metres beyond it as regulated area
- D. 100 metres of prohibited area, and 300 metres beyond it as regulated area
Q2. The scientific survey report of the Bhojshala complex that was weighed along with archaeological and historical material in the 2026 verdict was prepared by which agency, and on whose direction?
- A. The National Monuments Authority, on the direction of the Madhya Pradesh High Court
- B. The Archaeological Survey of India, on the direction of the Supreme Court of India
- C. The Archaeological Survey of India, on the direction of the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court
- D. The Madhya Pradesh Directorate of Archaeology, on the direction of the Union Ministry of Culture
Q3. With reference to the scientific survey of the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex whose report went on the court record, consider the following:
1. The survey was ordered on a petition filed by the Hindu Front for Justice.
2. The High Court required the exercise to be completed within six weeks of its direction.
3. The surveying agency sought additional time beyond the original deadline before finalising its report.
4. The survey was executed by the National Monuments Authority, with the Archaeological Survey of India acting only as observer.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- The survey was ordered on a petition filed by the Hindu Front for Justice.
- The High Court required the exercise to be completed within six weeks of its direction.
- The surveying agency sought additional time beyond the original deadline before finalising its report.
- The survey was executed by the National Monuments Authority, with the Archaeological Survey of India acting only as observer.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1 and 4
Q4. Bhojshala is repeatedly described in the litigation as a 'centrally protected monument'. In Indian heritage law, that description means which one of the following?
- A. A monument notified and maintained by the State Directorate of Archaeology under the relevant State monuments legislation
- B. A monument inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on a nomination routed through the Ministry of Culture
- C. A monument declared to be of national importance and protected by the Archaeological Survey of India under the AMASR Act, 1958
- D. A monument owned by a religious endowment whose upkeep is financed by a central grant-in-aid
Q5. Consider the following statements about the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula complex:
1. It is situated in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
2. It is a centrally protected monument in the charge of the Archaeological Survey of India.
3. Hindu claimants revere it as a temple of Goddess Vagdevi, identified with Saraswati.
4. It is described in the record of the dispute as a fourteenth-century structure raised by Raja Bhoj.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- It is situated in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.
- It is a centrally protected monument in the charge of the Archaeological Survey of India.
- Hindu claimants revere it as a temple of Goddess Vagdevi, identified with Saraswati.
- It is described in the record of the dispute as a fourteenth-century structure raised by Raja Bhoj.
- A. 4 only
- B. 1 and 4
- C. 3 only
- D. 2 and 3
Q6. The brownfield ammonia-urea complex of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes capacity under execution at Namrup in Assam is being set up by which one of the following?
- A. Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited
- B. Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited
- C. Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited
- D. Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited
Q7. With reference to the urea supply situation in India during the Kharif season of 2025, consider the following:
1. Availability of urea for the season exceeded the assessed seasonal requirement.
2. Domestic urea production during October 2025 was lower than in October 2024.
3. Imports of agriculture-grade urea during April-October 2025 were more than double those in the corresponding period of 2024.
4. Urea consumption was higher than in the previous Kharif season, attributed mainly to a good monsoon permitting a larger sown area.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Availability of urea for the season exceeded the assessed seasonal requirement.
- Domestic urea production during October 2025 was lower than in October 2024.
- Imports of agriculture-grade urea during April-October 2025 were more than double those in the corresponding period of 2024.
- Urea consumption was higher than in the previous Kharif season, attributed mainly to a good monsoon permitting a larger sown area.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1, 3 and 4
- C. 2 and 4 only
- D. 2, 3 and 4
Q8. The quantity of urea produced in India during the year 2024-25 was closest to which one of the following?
- A. 225 lakh metric tonnes
- B. 283.74 lakh metric tonnes
- C. 306.67 lakh metric tonnes
- D. 314.07 lakh metric tonnes
Q9. Consider the following statements regarding India's urea production and imports:
1. Import of urea for agricultural purposes, to bridge the gap between indigenous production and assessed demand, is undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
2. India's indigenous urea capacity rose from 207.54 LMTPA in 2014-15 to 283.74 LMTPA in 2023-24.
3. Urea production in the country touched a record 314.07 LMT in 2023-24 and stood at 306.67 LMT in 2024-25.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Import of urea for agricultural purposes, to bridge the gap between indigenous production and assessed demand, is undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
- India's indigenous urea capacity rose from 207.54 LMTPA in 2014-15 to 283.74 LMTPA in 2023-24.
- Urea production in the country touched a record 314.07 LMT in 2023-24 and stood at 306.67 LMT in 2024-25.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q10. In the context of the urea units commissioned under the New Investment Policy-2012, Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL) is best described as which one of the following?
- A. A joint venture company of public sector undertakings that set up the urea units at Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni
- B. A joint venture company of public sector undertakings that set up the urea unit at Ramagundam in Telangana
- C. A private company that set up the greenfield urea unit at Panagarh in West Bengal
- D. A public sector company executing the coal-gasification-based greenfield urea project at Talcher in Odisha
Q11. The New Investment Policy (NIP) for the urea sector, announced on 2 January 2013, was subsequently amended on which one of the following dates to facilitate fresh investment?
- A. 1 April 2010, along with the roll-out of the Nutrient Based Subsidy scheme
- B. 7 October 2014, to facilitate additional fresh investment in the urea sector
- C. 25 May 2015, along with the notification of the New Urea Policy for existing units
- D. 1 March 2018, along with the revision of the Maximum Retail Price of urea
Q12. With reference to the National Investment Policy for Urea-2026 (NIPU-2026) as compared with the New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012, consider the following statements:
1. NIPU-2026 separates the fixed cost and variable cost components of urea production to enhance transparency in pricing.
2. NIPU-2026 provides a Return on Equity band with a floor of 12 per cent and a ceiling of 16 per cent.
3. NIPU-2026 requires that all new urea capacity created under it be based exclusively on coal gasification, discontinuing the feedstock route permitted under NIP-2012.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- NIPU-2026 separates the fixed cost and variable cost components of urea production to enhance transparency in pricing.
- NIPU-2026 provides a Return on Equity band with a floor of 12 per cent and a ceiling of 16 per cent.
- NIPU-2026 requires that all new urea capacity created under it be based exclusively on coal gasification, discontinuing the feedstock route permitted under NIP-2012.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q13. Which one of the following fertilizers is sold to farmers at a subsidised Maximum Retail Price of Rs. 242 per 45 kg bag, which has remained unchanged since 1 March 2018?
- A. Di-Ammonium Phosphate, subsidised under the Nutrient Based Subsidy scheme
- B. Muriate of Potash, subsidised under the Nutrient Based Subsidy scheme
- C. Urea, subsidised under the Urea Subsidy Scheme
- D. NPK complex fertilizer, subsidised under the Nutrient Based Subsidy scheme
Q14. Which one of the following correctly describes the pricing regime administered by the Department of Fertilizers for urea, as distinct from that for phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilizers?
- A. Urea is sold at a Maximum Retail Price statutorily notified by the Union Government, whereas P&K fertilizers are covered by the Nutrient Based Subsidy scheme with a fixed per-nutrient subsidy
- B. All chemical fertilizers sold in India, including P&K fertilizers, carry Maximum Retail Prices statutorily notified by the Union Government every season
- C. Urea and P&K fertilizers are both entirely decontrolled, with subsidy paid solely on the basis of nutrient content notified annually by the Union Government
- D. Urea is fully decontrolled in price, while only P&K fertilizers such as DAP carry a Maximum Retail Price statutorily notified by the Union Government
Q15. Which one of the following is the sole Indian property inscribed on the World Heritage List under the mixed category, recognised for both cultural and natural values?
- A. Western Ghats, a serial property of the southern peninsula
- B. Khangchendzonga National Park, in the State of Sikkim
- C. Sundarbans National Park, in the Ganges delta
- D. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area, Himachal Pradesh
Q16. Which one of the following Indian World Heritage properties is described by UNESCO as the oldest Buddhist sanctuary in existence, remaining a major Buddhist centre until the twelfth century A.D.?
- A. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
- B. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar
- C. Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra
- D. Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh
Q17. Consider the following statements comparing the Indian properties inscribed on the World Heritage List in the sessions immediately preceding Sarnath's inscription:
1. India's 43rd property, the Moidams of the Ahom dynasty, was inscribed at a session of the World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi, whereas its 44th, the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, was inscribed at a session held in Paris.
2. Unlike the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas, which lie within a single State, the Maratha Military Landscapes extend over two States.
3. Santiniketan and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas were both inscribed in the same year, being India's 41st and 42nd properties respectively.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- India's 43rd property, the Moidams of the Ahom dynasty, was inscribed at a session of the World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi, whereas its 44th, the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, was inscribed at a session held in Paris.
- Unlike the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas, which lie within a single State, the Maratha Military Landscapes extend over two States.
- Santiniketan and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas were both inscribed in the same year, being India's 41st and 42nd properties respectively.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q18. With 45 properties after Sarnath, India stands sixth in the world by number of World Heritage properties. Consider the following country–position pairings in that global ranking. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?
- Italy — first
- China — second
- Spain — third
- Mexico — fifth
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 only
- C. 3 and 4
- D. 2 and 4
Q19. The Western Ghats World Heritage property is made up of component sites distributed across how many Indian States?
- A. Three
- B. Four
- C. Five
- D. Six
Q20. The Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath was inscribed under World Heritage criteria (iii) and (vi). Under UNESCO's selection criteria, criterion (vi) recognises a property that:
- A. is directly or tangibly associated with events, living traditions, ideas or beliefs of outstanding universal significance
- B. bears a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or has disappeared
- C. contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance
- D. is an outstanding example of a type of building or architectural ensemble illustrating a significant stage in human history
Q21. Consider the following monuments, each said to lie within the 'Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath' property inscribed on the World Heritage List in July 2026. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Chaukhandi Stupa, which forms one of the two protected archaeological components of the property
- Dhamekh Stupa, situated within the Archaeological Remains of Sarnath
- Mulagandhakuti Vihara, situated within the Archaeological Remains of Sarnath
- The Great Stupa (Stupa No. 1) with its four elaborately carved gateways
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1 and 4 only
Q22. The following four properties are all rock-cut or Mughal monuments on India's World Heritage List, and each is claimed below to belong to the very first batch of Indian properties inscribed by the World Heritage Committee in 1983. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly assigned to that 1983 batch?
- Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra
- Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra
- Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh
- Ellora Caves, Maharashtra
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 2 only
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 3 only
Q23. Which one of the following statements about a monument at Sarnath is correct?
- A. The Chaukhandi Stupa is the only stupa at Sarnath built entirely by Ashoka.
- B. The Dharmarajika Stupa is the tallest surviving structure at the site.
- C. The Dhamek Stupa marks the place where the Buddha delivered his first sermon.
- D. The Mulagandhakuti Vihara is the earliest stupa raised over the Buddha's bodily relics.
Q24. The dharmachakra (wheel of law) carved on the abacus of the Lion Capital of Ashoka found at Sarnath has how many spokes?
Q25. Sarnath is counted among the four principal pilgrimage sites of Buddhism. Consider the following statements:
1. Sarnath is associated with the Buddha's first sermon, while Bodh Gaya is associated with his enlightenment.
2. Lumbini marks the Buddha's birth, while Kushinagar marks the site of his enlightenment.
3. The first sermon at Sarnath is remembered as the first 'turning of the wheel of dharma', delivered at the Deer Park at Isipatana.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Sarnath is associated with the Buddha's first sermon, while Bodh Gaya is associated with his enlightenment.
- Lumbini marks the Buddha's birth, while Kushinagar marks the site of his enlightenment.
- The first sermon at Sarnath is remembered as the first 'turning of the wheel of dharma', delivered at the Deer Park at Isipatana.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q26. In his first sermon at Sarnath, the Buddha expounded the Four Noble Truths and set out the Middle Path consisting of how many components (the 'fold' of the path)?
- A. Four
- B. Twelve
- C. Eight
- D. Ten
Q27. Following the inscription of the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath in July 2026, what is India's standing in terms of the number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites?
- A. 5th globally and 1st in the Asia-Pacific region
- B. 6th globally and 2nd in the Asia-Pacific region
- C. 6th globally and 1st in the Asia-Pacific region
- D. 7th globally and 3rd in the Asia-Pacific region
Q28. With reference to the inscription of the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath and the Maratha Military Landscapes of India on the UNESCO World Heritage List, consider the following statements:
1. Sarnath was inscribed under criteria (iii) and (vi), whereas the Maratha Military Landscapes were inscribed under criteria (iii) and (iv).
2. Sarnath is India's 45th World Heritage Site, while the Maratha Military Landscapes were the 44th.
3. Both Sarnath and the Maratha Military Landscapes are inscribed as cultural properties.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Sarnath was inscribed under criteria (iii) and (vi), whereas the Maratha Military Landscapes were inscribed under criteria (iii) and (iv).
- Sarnath is India's 45th World Heritage Site, while the Maratha Military Landscapes were the 44th.
- Both Sarnath and the Maratha Military Landscapes are inscribed as cultural properties.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q29. The Archaeological Survey of India, the custodian of the Sarnath monuments, functions under which one of the following Union Ministries?
- A. Ministry of Culture
- B. Ministry of Tourism
- C. Ministry of Education
- D. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Q30. Nominations of cultural properties such as Sarnath are evaluated for the World Heritage Committee by which one of the following advisory bodies?
- A. IUCN
- B. ICCROM
- C. ICOM
- D. ICOMOS