UPSC Art & Culture • Updated Feb 2026
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
The Definitive UPSC Guide — Mindmaps, Flowcharts, MCQs, Mains Frameworks, PYQ Analysis & SEO-Friendly FAQs
44
Total Sites
36
Cultural
7
Natural
1
Mixed
6th
Global Rank
Overview & Concept Mindmap
UNESCO World Heritage Sites are landmarks of outstanding cultural, historical, or natural significance — protected under an international treaty administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. India, with its civilisational depth and ecological diversity, is home to 44 such sites as of February 2026 and ranks 6th globally.
The sites range from the Indus Valley Civilisation city of Dholavira (c. 3000 BCE) to the Maratha Military Landscapes inscribed in 2025 — spanning nearly five millennia of human achievement and natural evolution on the subcontinent.
UPSC Relevance: Questions appear in Prelims (factual MCQs — location, year, category) and Mains GS-1 (Art & Culture, History) as well as GS-3 (Environment & Biodiversity for Natural sites). Expect 1–2 questions annually.
UNESCO WHS in India (44)
🏛️ Cultural Sites (36)
- Mughal Heritage — Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, Fatehpur Sikri, Red Fort
- Rock-cut Wonders — Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, Bhimbetka
- Temple Architecture — Konark, Khajuraho, Chola Temples, Hoysala, Ramappa, Pattadakal
- Colonial & Modern — Goa Churches, CST Mumbai, Le Corbusier (Chandigarh)
- Planned Cities — Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Dholavira (Harappan)
- Forts & Stepwells — Hill Forts of Rajasthan, Hampi, Rani Ki Vav, Maratha Forts
- Buddhist Heritage — Sanchi, Nalanda, Santiniketan
- Engineering Feats — Darjeeling/Kalka-Shimla/Nilgiri Railways
🌿 Natural Sites (7)
- Kaziranga NP — Indian One-horned Rhino
- Keoladeo NP — Migratory Waterbird Refuge
- Manas Wildlife Sanctuary — Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity
- Sundarbans NP — Largest Estuarine Mangrove
- Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers — Alpine Wilderness
- Western Ghats — Mega-biodiversity Hotspot
- Great Himalayan NP — Glacial & Alpine Ecosystems
🔷 Mixed Site (1)
- Khangchendzonga NP, Sikkim (2016)
- Cultural: Sacred to indigenous Sikkimese
- Natural: Eastern Himalayan biodiversity across elevation zones
📜 Key Facts for UPSC
- Convention adopted: 1972 | Enforced: 1975
- India signed: 14 Nov 1977
- Advisory Bodies: ICOMOS (Cultural) + IUCN (Natural)
- India’s Tentative List: 62 sites (2025)
- Latest entry: Maratha Forts (2025)
- First NE cultural site: Moidams, Assam (2024)
World Heritage Convention — Background
Genesis & Evolution
The concept of shared World Heritage crystallised after World War II, when widespread destruction of cultural landmarks and natural landscapes spurred global concern. The outcome was the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted in 1972 and entering into force in 1975.
The Convention established the World Heritage Committee, the World Heritage List, and the World Heritage Fund. It created a legal and institutional framework obligating signatory nations to identify, protect, conserve, and transmit sites of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) to future generations. India ratified the Convention on 14 November 1977.
State Obligations under the Convention: Identify & protect heritage → Integrate into regional planning → Report periodically on conservation → Promote heritage appreciation through education → Accept international cooperation and oversight.
Legal Implications
Sites remain under the sovereignty of their respective nation-states, but their preservation becomes a shared global responsibility. The World Heritage Committee retains powers to assist with threats, impose conditions, or even delist endangered sites — making inscription both an honour and an accountability mechanism.
Site Selection Process & Criteria
Inscription Flowchart
1
Tentative List Submission
State Party submits potential sites to UNESCO (India currently has 62 on its Tentative List)
2
Nomination Dossier
Detailed documentation proving Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) prepared by the nominating country
3
Advisory Body Evaluation
ICOMOS evaluates Cultural sites | IUCN evaluates Natural sites | Both for Mixed sites
4
World Heritage Committee Decision
21-member inter-governmental committee decides: Inscribe, Refer, Defer, or Not Inscribe
5
Post-Inscription Monitoring
Periodic reporting, reactive monitoring, and possibility of “Danger List” or delisting
OUV Selection Criteria (10 Parameters)
A site must satisfy at least one of the following ten criteria to qualify. The first six apply to Cultural sites, and the last four to Natural sites.
Cultural Criteria (i – vi)
- Masterpiece of human creative genius
- Interchange of values — architecture, technology, art
- Unique testimony to a cultural tradition or civilisation
- Outstanding example of architecture, technology, or landscape
- Traditional human settlement or land/sea use
- Associated with events or ideas of universal significance
Natural Criteria (vii – x)
- Superlative natural phenomena or beauty
- Major stages of Earth’s evolutionary history
- Ongoing ecological and biological processes
- Critical habitats for conservation of biological diversity
Cultural World Heritage Sites (36)
| # | Site | State | UPSC-Relevant Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agra Fort 1983 | Uttar Pradesh | Mughal palace-fort complex; witnessed power transitions from Akbar to Aurangzeb; red sandstone & marble architecture. |
| 2 | Ajanta Caves 1983 | Maharashtra | 30 rock-cut Buddhist caves (2nd c. BCE – 6th c. CE); finest surviving ancient Indian mural paintings; Hinayana & Mahayana phases. |
| 3 | Ellora Caves 1983 | Maharashtra | 34 caves spanning Buddhist, Hindu & Jain traditions (6th–11th c.); includes the monolithic Kailasa Temple (Cave 16). |
| 4 | Taj Mahal 1983 | Uttar Pradesh | Mughal architectural masterpiece built by Shah Jahan (1632–53); synthesis of Indo-Islamic, Persian & Turkish styles. |
| 5 | Sun Temple, Konark 1984 | Odisha | 13th-c. chariot-shaped temple to Surya by Narasimhadeva I (Eastern Ganga dynasty); Kalinga architecture at its zenith. |
| 6 | Mahabalipuram Monuments 1984 | Tamil Nadu | Pallava dynasty (7th–8th c.) rathas, mandapas & rock reliefs; transition from rock-cut to structural temple architecture. |
| 7 | Churches & Convents of Goa 1986 | Goa | Portuguese colonial churches (Basilica of Bom Jesus, Sé Cathedral); testify to Christianity’s spread in Asia. |
| 8 | Fatehpur Sikri 1986 | Uttar Pradesh | Akbar’s short-lived imperial capital (1571–85); Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal — syncretic Indo-Islamic architecture. |
| 9 | Group of Monuments, Hampi 1986 | Karnataka | Capital of Vijayanagara Empire (14th–16th c.); Vittala Temple, Stone Chariot; Dravidian temple city ruins. |
| 10 | Khajuraho Monuments 1986 | Madhya Pradesh | Chandela dynasty (10th–11th c.); Hindu & Jain temples with erotic sculpture; Nagara-style architecture. |
| 11 | Elephanta Caves 1987 | Maharashtra | 6th-c. CE Shaiva rock-cut shrines on Gharapuri island; Trimurti Sadashiva sculpture — masterpiece of Gupta-era artistry. |
| 12 | Great Living Chola Temples 1987 | Tamil Nadu | Brihadisvara temples at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram & Darasuram; Chola dynasty (11th–12th c.); Dravidian zenith. |
| 13 | Pattadakal Monuments 1987 | Karnataka | Chalukya coronation city (8th c.); blend of Nagara (northern) and Dravidian (southern) temple styles. |
| 14 | Buddhist Monuments, Sanchi 1989 | Madhya Pradesh | Great Stupa commissioned by Ashoka (3rd c. BCE); toranas with narrative reliefs; oldest stone structures in India. |
| 15 | Humayun’s Tomb 1993 | Delhi | First Mughal garden tomb (1570); precursor to the Taj Mahal; Persian charbagh plan in Indian context. |
| 16 | Qutb Minar & Monuments 1993 | Delhi | Begun by Qutubuddin Aibak (1192); tallest brick minaret; Iron Pillar (Gupta era) — heralded Indo-Islamic architecture. |
| 17 | Mountain Railways 1999 | WB / HP / TN | Darjeeling (1881), Kalka-Shimla (1898), Nilgiri (1908); engineering feats of colonial-era hill connectivity. |
| 18 | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka 2003 | Madhya Pradesh | Prehistoric rock paintings (c. 30,000 years); evidence of earliest human habitation in South Asia. |
| 19 | Champaner-Pavagadh 2004 | Gujarat | Pre-Mughal Islamic city (8th–14th c.); only intact pre-Mughal Islamic city in India; Hindu-Islamic architectural fusion. |
| 20 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus 2004 | Maharashtra | Victorian Gothic Revival + Indian elements (F.W. Stevens, 1888); symbol of Mumbai as a global commercial port. |
| 21 | Red Fort Complex 2007 | Delhi | Shah Jahan’s 17th-c. fortified palace; site of Independence Day flag-hoisting; Mughal artistic zenith. |
| 22 | Jantar Mantar, Jaipur 2010 | Rajasthan | Astronomical observation instruments by Sawai Jai Singh II (18th c.); reflects scientific advancement of Rajput courts. |
| 23 | Hill Forts of Rajasthan 2013 | Rajasthan | Six massive forts (Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amber, Jaisalmer); Rajput military architecture. |
| 24 | Rani Ki Vav, Patan 2014 | Gujarat | 11th-c. stepwell built by Udayamati for Bhimdev I (Solanki dynasty); inverted temple with 500+ principal sculptures. |
| 25 | Nalanda Mahavihara 2016 | Bihar | Ancient Mahayana Buddhist monastic university (5th–12th c.); attracted scholars from across Asia; destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khalji. |
| 26 | Le Corbusier’s Works 2016 | Chandigarh | Capitol Complex — transnational serial nomination (17 sites across 7 countries); Modern Movement architecture. |
| 27 | Historic City of Ahmedabad 2017 | Gujarat | India’s first World Heritage City; founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah I (1411); Hindu-Muslim-Jain architectural synthesis in pols. |
| 28 | Victorian Gothic & Art Deco, Mumbai 2018 | Maharashtra | 19th–20th-c. ensemble along Marine Drive & Fort precinct; Gothic Revival + Art Deco — rare global concentration. |
| 29 | Jaipur City 2019 | Rajasthan | Planned grid city by Sawai Jai Singh II (1727); Vidyadhar Bhattacharya’s design; Vaastu-Shilpa Shastra principles. |
| 30 | Dholavira 2021 | Gujarat | Harappan-era city on Khadir Bet, Kutch (3000–1500 BCE); sophisticated water management; one of five largest IVC sites. |
| 31 | Ramappa Temple (Rudreshwara) 2021 | Telangana | Kakatiya dynasty (13th c.); “floating bricks” made of porous material; sandbox foundation for earthquake resistance. |
| 32 | Santiniketan 2023 | West Bengal | Rabindranath Tagore’s educational centre; Visva-Bharati University; pan-Asian modernism rooted in Indian traditions. |
| 33 | Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala 2023 | Karnataka | Belur (Chennakeshava), Halebid (Hoysaleshwara), Somanathapura; 12th–13th c.; soapstone sculpture artistry; Dravidian + Nagara + Bhumija influences. |
| 34 | Moidams — Ahom Mound Burials 2024 | Assam | 700-year-old royal burial mounds of the Ahom dynasty; first cultural WHS from Northeast India; Tai-Ahom funerary traditions. |
| 35 | Maratha Military Landscapes 2025 | Maharashtra / TN | 12 historic forts of the Maratha Empire (Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Shivneri, Gingee, etc.); guerrilla warfare & self-rule legacy. |
| 36 | Champaner-Pavagadh 2004 | Note: Total listed above is 35 unique entries. The 36th is the extension of Great Living Chola Temples (originally 1987, extended 2004). | |
Natural World Heritage Sites (7)
| # | Site | State | Ecological Significance & UPSC Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaziranga NP 1985 | Assam | World’s largest population of Indian one-horned rhinoceros; floodplain ecosystem of the Brahmaputra; also home to tigers, elephants and wild water buffalo. |
| 2 | Keoladeo NP 1985 | Rajasthan | Man-made wetland near Bharatpur; critical wintering ground for Palearctic migratory waterbirds including the Siberian Crane (historically). |
| 3 | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary 1985 | Assam | Tiger Reserve on Indo-Bhutan border; Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot; habitat for pygmy hog, golden langur & wild water buffalo. |
| 4 | Sundarbans NP 1987 | West Bengal | Largest estuarine mangrove forest globally (shared with Bangladesh); Royal Bengal Tiger; critically vulnerable to sea-level rise and climate change. |
| 5 | Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers 1988 | Uttarakhand | Two contrasting alpine landscapes — rugged glacial wilderness (Nanda Devi) and meadows of endemic wildflowers; extension in 2005. |
| 6 | Western Ghats 2012 | KA, KL, TN, MH | Global biodiversity hotspot with exceptionally high endemism (>325 globally threatened species); serial site across 39 properties in 4 states. |
| 7 | Great Himalayan NP 2014 | Himachal Pradesh | Part of the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot; glaciers, alpine meadows, pristine forests; habitat for snow leopard, Himalayan brown bear, musk deer. |
Mixed World Heritage Site (1)
Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim (2016)
Cultural Significance: The park encompasses Khangchendzonga (8,586 m), the world’s third-highest peak, which is profoundly sacred to the Lepcha and Bhutia communities of Sikkim. It is associated with the Buddhist mythological landscape of Beyul Demojong (the hidden promised land).
Natural Significance: Spanning from subtropical forests (1,220 m) to alpine meadows and glaciers (8,586 m), the park protects an extraordinary range of Eastern Himalayan biodiversity including red panda, snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, and over 150 species of birds.
UPSC Tip: Khangchendzonga NP is India’s only Mixed Heritage Site — a frequently tested fact. Remember the dual criteria: indigenous sacred landscape (cultural) + Eastern Himalayan biodiversity across extreme elevation zones (natural).
India’s Tentative List — 2025 Additions
In 2025, six new sites were added to India’s UNESCO Tentative List, raising the total to 62 sites. A site must feature on the Tentative List before it can be formally nominated for inscription.
Kanger Valley NP
Chhattisgarh — Biodiversity hotspot with limestone caves & rare Bastar Hill Myna
Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs
Telangana — Iron Age standing stone structures; burial markers & commemorative monuments
Ashokan Edict Sites
Multiple States — Pillar & rock inscriptions propagating Buddhist ethics along Mauryan routes
Chausath Yogini Temples
Multiple States — 64-pillar hypaethral temples dedicated to Goddess Durga; unique circular plans
Gupta Temples of North India
Multiple States — Golden-age structural temples (Dashavatara at Deogarh, etc.); earliest surviving temple forms
Palace-Fortresses of the Bundelas
MP & UP — Orchha, Datia, etc.; Rajput-Mughal architectural fusion; Bundela dynastic legacy
Practice MCQs — Prelims Style
Question 01 · Prelims
Consider the following statements about UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India:
1. India has more Natural Heritage Sites than Cultural Heritage Sites.
2. Khangchendzonga National Park is the only Mixed Heritage Site in India.
3. India signed the World Heritage Convention in 1972.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1. India has more Natural Heritage Sites than Cultural Heritage Sites.
2. Khangchendzonga National Park is the only Mixed Heritage Site in India.
3. India signed the World Heritage Convention in 1972.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: (b) 2 only
Statement 1 is incorrect: India has 36 Cultural sites vs. 7 Natural sites — Cultural sites vastly outnumber Natural ones.
Statement 2 is correct: Khangchendzonga NP (Sikkim, 2016) is indeed India’s only Mixed Heritage Site.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The Convention was adopted in 1972, but India signed it on 14 November 1977.
Question 02 · Prelims
Which of the following UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India were inscribed in 2023?
1. Santiniketan
2. Dholavira
3. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala
4. Moidams of the Ahom Dynasty
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
1. Santiniketan
2. Dholavira
3. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala
4. Moidams of the Ahom Dynasty
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
✅ Correct Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
Santiniketan (West Bengal) and Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala (Karnataka) were both inscribed in 2023. Dholavira was inscribed in 2021, and Moidams in 2024. This was also directly tested in UPSC Prelims 2024.
Question 03 · Prelims
Consider the following pairs:
Heritage Site → Dynasty/Period
1. Ramappa Temple → Kakatiya
2. Rani Ki Vav → Chandela
3. Pattadakal Monuments → Chalukya
4. Nalanda Mahavihara → Gupta-Pala
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Heritage Site → Dynasty/Period
1. Ramappa Temple → Kakatiya
2. Rani Ki Vav → Chandela
3. Pattadakal Monuments → Chalukya
4. Nalanda Mahavihara → Gupta-Pala
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
✅ Correct Answer: (c) Only three pairs
Pair 1: Correct — Ramappa Temple was built under the Kakatiya dynasty (13th c.).
Pair 2: Incorrect — Rani Ki Vav at Patan was built by Queen Udayamati of the Solanki (Chalukya of Gujarat) dynasty, not Chandela.
Pair 3: Correct — Pattadakal is a Chalukya coronation site (8th c.).
Pair 4: Correct — Nalanda flourished under Gupta patronage and continued under the Pala dynasty.
Question 04 · Prelims
With reference to the UNESCO Natural Heritage Sites in India, which of the following is/are correctly matched?
1. Western Ghats — Serial site across 4 states
2. Sundarbans NP — Largest estuarine mangrove forest globally
3. Great Himalayan NP — Located in Uttarakhand
Select the correct answer:
1. Western Ghats — Serial site across 4 states
2. Sundarbans NP — Largest estuarine mangrove forest globally
3. Great Himalayan NP — Located in Uttarakhand
Select the correct answer:
✅ Correct Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only
Statement 1: Correct — Western Ghats is a serial site spanning Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu & Maharashtra.
Statement 2: Correct — Sundarbans is the world’s largest estuarine mangrove forest.
Statement 3: Incorrect — Great Himalayan NP is in Himachal Pradesh (Kullu district), not Uttarakhand. Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers are in Uttarakhand.
Question 05 · Prelims
Which of the following sites was the first cultural World Heritage Site from Northeast India?
✅ Correct Answer: (c) Moidams — Ahom Mound Burials
Moidams in Assam (2024) are the first cultural WHS from Northeast India. Kaziranga and Manas are Natural heritage sites in Assam. Khangchendzonga is a Mixed site in Sikkim (classified under NE only in the broader geographic sense). Moidams specifically represent Ahom dynasty royal burial mounds with 700 years of history.
PYQ · UPSC Prelims 2024
Consider the following properties included in the World Heritage List released by UNESCO:
1. Shantiniketan
2. Rani-ki-Vav
3. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas
4. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodhgaya
How many of the above properties were included in 2023?
1. Shantiniketan
2. Rani-ki-Vav
3. Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas
4. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodhgaya
How many of the above properties were included in 2023?
✅ Correct Answer: (b) Only two
Santiniketan (2023) and Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala (2023) were inscribed in 2023. Rani-ki-Vav was inscribed in 2014, and Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodhgaya was inscribed in 2002. Hence, only two of the four were included in 2023.
Probable Mains Questions & Answer Frameworks
GS Paper 1 · Art & Culture · 250 Words
Q1. “India’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites are a testimony to its civilisational continuity from prehistoric times to the modern era.” Discuss with examples from different historical periods.
Answer Framework
1
Introduction: Define civilisational continuity; mention India’s 44 WHS spanning approximately 5,000 years — from the Indus Valley to contemporary modern architecture.
2
Prehistoric Period: Bhimbetka rock shelters (~30,000 years) — earliest evidence of human habitation and artistic expression in South Asia. Dholavira (3000–1500 BCE) — urban planning, water management, and Harappan script.
3
Ancient India: Sanchi (3rd c. BCE, Mauryan) → Ajanta (2nd c. BCE – 6th c. CE, Satavahana-Vakataka) → Nalanda (5th–12th c., Gupta-Pala). Show evolution from Buddhist stupas to rock-cut art to monastic universities.
4
Medieval India: Chola Temples (11th c.) → Khajuraho (10th–11th c.) → Hampi (14th–16th c.) → Mughal sites (Humayun’s Tomb, Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri). Demonstrate architectural evolution across Hindu, Jain, and Islamic traditions.
5
Colonial & Modern: Churches of Goa (Portuguese), CST Mumbai (Victorian Gothic), Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh (Modern Movement). Show India’s capacity to absorb and adapt foreign influences.
6
Conclusion: India’s WHS are not isolated monuments but form a living tapestry of continuous civilisational evolution — an argument for stronger heritage conservation policies integrating local communities.
GS Paper 3 · Environment & Biodiversity · 250 Words
Q2. Critically evaluate the role of UNESCO World Heritage status in conserving India’s natural heritage. How effective has it been in addressing contemporary threats such as climate change and encroachment?
Answer Framework
1
Introduction: Context of India’s 7 Natural WHS + 1 Mixed site; the legal obligations of inscription under the 1972 Convention; international accountability mechanism.
2
Positive Impact: Global visibility → increased funding (e.g., Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel); international monitoring (e.g., Manas was on Danger List 1992–2011, now recovered); enhanced regulatory protection; tourism revenue for local communities.
3
Persistent Challenges: Sundarbans — sea-level rise & cyclone intensity (climate change); Kaziranga — annual floods, poaching pressure & highway encroachment (NH-37); Western Ghats — mining, dam projects & ESZ conflicts; Keoladeo — water scarcity from upstream diversion.
4
Limitations of WHS Status: UNESCO cannot enforce; depends on sovereign compliance; tourism carrying capacity issues; conflict between conservation & development priorities; Danger List is reactive, not preventive.
5
Way Forward: Integrate WHS management with climate adaptation plans; strengthen buffer zones using ESZ framework; community-based conservation (SECURE Himalaya model); digital monitoring using remote sensing; leverage India’s G20 presidency legacy on Green Development Pact.
GS Paper 1 · Art & Culture · 150 Words
Q3. India’s Tentative List for UNESCO reflects its effort to bring recognition to under-represented regions and themes. Discuss with reference to the 2025 additions.
Answer Framework
1
Introduction: Tentative List as a pre-requisite for nomination; India has 62 sites (2025); the 6 new additions signal thematic diversification.
2
Regional Diversity: Kanger Valley (Chhattisgarh) — tribal region; Mudumal Menhirs (Telangana) — South Indian megalithic culture; Bundela forts (MP/UP) — lesser-known dynasties gaining recognition.
3
Thematic Expansion: Ashokan Edicts — governance & ethical statecraft; Chausath Yogini — Tantric spiritual traditions; Gupta Temples — filling the “Golden Age” gap in WHS representation.
4
Conclusion: The additions demonstrate India’s maturing heritage diplomacy — moving beyond iconic monuments toward a more inclusive and representative national heritage narrative.
PYQ Heatmap — UNESCO Heritage in UPSC
This heatmap shows the frequency and thematic distribution of UNESCO World Heritage–related questions across UPSC Prelims and Mains over the past 8 years. It helps identify high-probability areas for preparation.
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Site ID & Year
1
2
1
2
1
2
3
2
Location / State
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
2
Dynasty Match
2
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
Convention
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
Natural Sites
1
0
1
1
2
1
1
1
New Entries
2
2
1
3
2
3
4
3
Frequency:
0
1
2
3
4+
Key Takeaways from PYQ Analysis
Highest-Frequency Themes: “New Inscriptions” and “Site ID & Year” are the two most tested categories. UPSC consistently asks about the most recently inscribed sites in the year following their inscription. Expect questions on Maratha Military Landscapes (2025) in upcoming exams.
Trend Shift (2023–25): Questions are moving from simple site-location matching toward dynasty-architecture pairing and multi-site comparison formats (“How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?”). The 2024 PYQ on Santiniketan & Hoysala confirms this pattern.
Natural Sites: Tested consistently but at lower frequency; usually clubbed with broader Environment & Biodiversity questions on national parks, tiger reserves, or biodiversity hotspots rather than standalone WHS questions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
As of February 2026, India has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites — 36 Cultural, 7 Natural, and 1 Mixed site (Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim). India ranks 6th globally in the total number of World Heritage Sites.
The Maratha Military Landscapes of India, a group of 12 historic forts associated with the Maratha Empire (including Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Shivneri and Gingee Fort), were inscribed in 2025. Before that, the Moidams of the Ahom Dynasty in Assam were inscribed in 2024.
Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim, designated in 2016, is India’s only Mixed World Heritage Site. It qualifies on both cultural grounds (sacred mountain to indigenous Sikkimese communities) and natural grounds (Eastern Himalayan biodiversity spanning subtropical to alpine zones).
UNESCO World Heritage Sites are tested in both Prelims (factual MCQs on site-location-year-dynasty matching) and Mains (GS Paper 1 — Art & Culture for cultural significance; GS Paper 3 — Environment for natural sites). Recent trends show 1–2 direct questions in Prelims annually. Newly inscribed sites are especially high-probability questions in the exam immediately following inscription.
India formally signed the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage on 14 November 1977. The Convention itself was adopted in 1972 and came into force in 1975. Note: UPSC has tested the distinction between the Convention’s adoption year and India’s ratification year.
As of 2025, India has 62 sites on its UNESCO Tentative List. Six new sites were added in 2025: Kanger Valley National Park (Chhattisgarh), Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs (Telangana), Ashokan Edict Sites, Chausath Yogini Temples, Gupta Temples of North India, and Palace-Fortresses of the Bundelas (MP/UP). A site must appear on the Tentative List before it can be formally nominated.
ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) evaluates Cultural nominations, and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) evaluates Natural nominations. For Mixed sites, both bodies conduct evaluations. Their recommendations are presented to the 21-member World Heritage Committee for the final decision.
Maharashtra leads with the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India, including Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Elephanta Caves, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Victorian Gothic & Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai, and the Maratha Military Landscapes (2025). Uttar Pradesh follows with the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri.
The Moidams — Ahom Mound Burials in Assam, inscribed in 2024, are the first cultural World Heritage Site from Northeast India. They represent 700-year-old royal burial mounds of the Ahom dynasty, reflecting Tai-Ahom funerary traditions. Earlier, Northeast India had Natural sites (Kaziranga, Manas) and a Mixed site (Khangchendzonga), but no cultural designation.
Yes, the World Heritage Committee can delist a site if the Outstanding Universal Value for which it was inscribed has been destroyed or significantly degraded. Before delisting, a site is typically placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. India’s Manas Wildlife Sanctuary was on the Danger List from 1992–2011 before being removed following improved conservation. Globally, two sites have been delisted to date.
