History & Culture chapter practice
Practise 80+ UNESCO, Heritage and Cultural Institutions MCQs for UPSC Prelims in History & Culture, including 29+ previous year questions. The sample set below is shown with correct answers and explanations.
12 sample questions are shown here; sign up free to practise all 80.
Which one of the following was the latest inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO?
Explanation
Correct. Garba of Gujarat was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2023, making it the latest inclusion among the four options. Chhau was inscribed in 2010, Kumbh Mela in 2017, and Durga Puja in 2021.
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?
Explanation
Correct. Shantiniketan and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas were both inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. Rani-ki-Vav was inscribed in 2014, and the Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodhgaya was inscribed in 2002.
Consider the following pairs: Famous place — Region 1. Bodhgaya — Baghelkhand 2. Khajuraho — Bundelkhand 3. Shirdi — Vidarbha 4. Nasik (Nashik) — Malwa 5. Tirupati — Rayalaseema Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Explanation
Correct. Khajuraho is in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh (pair 2) and Tirupati is in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh (pair 5). Bodhgaya is in Magadh (not Baghelkhand), Shirdi is in western Maharashtra (not Vidarbha), and Nashik is not in Malwa.
Chaitra 1 of the national calendar based on the Saka Era corresponds to which one of the following dates of the Gregorian calendar in a normal year of 365 days?
Explanation
Correct. In the Indian national calendar (Saka calendar), Chaitra 1 corresponds to March 22 in a normal year and March 21 in a leap year. The Saka calendar was adopted as India's national civil calendar alongside the Gregorian calendar in 1957.
With reference to the 'Changpa' community of India, consider the following statements: 1. They live mainly in the State of Uttarakhand. 2. They rear the Pashmina goats that yield fine wool. 3. They are kept in the category of Scheduled Tribes. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Correct. The Changpa are semi-nomadic pastoralists of Ladakh's Changthang region (not Uttarakhand). They rear Changthangi goats that produce the prized Pashmina wool (statement 2). They are classified as a Scheduled Tribe (statement 3).
Consider the following pairs: Tradition — State 1. Gatka, a traditional martial art — Kerala 2. Madhubani, a traditional painting — Bihar 3. Singhey Khababs Sindhu Darshan Festival — Jammu and Kashmir Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
Explanation
Correct. Madhubani painting is indeed a traditional art form of the Mithila region in Bihar (pair 2). The Sindhu Darshan Festival was held in Leh, Jammu and Kashmir (pair 3). Gatka is from Punjab, not Kerala (pair 1 is wrong).
Match List I with List II and select the correct answer. List I (Famous Person) — List II (Well-known for) A. Mandakini Amte — 1. Theatre direction B. Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry — 2. Social service and community leadership C. Romila Thapar — 3. Dance D. Vanashree Rao — 4. History writing
Explanation
Correct. Mandakini Amte is known for social service and community leadership (2), Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry is an acclaimed theatre director from Punjab (1), Romila Thapar is one of India's foremost historians (4), and Vanashree Rao is a noted dancer (3).
Among the following, who are the Agaria community?
Explanation
Correct. The Agaria community is traditionally associated with salt pan work in Gujarat. They have been historically linked to the salt-producing regions of the Rann of Kutch.
In which one of the following places is the Shompen tribe found?
Explanation
Correct. The Shompen are an indigenous tribal group inhabiting the interior forests of Great Nicobar Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They are one of India's most isolated Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
Consider the following statements: 1. The National School of Drama was set up by Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1959. 2. The highest honour conferred by the Sahitya Akademi on a writer is by electing him its Fellow. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Correct. The National School of Drama (NSD) was indeed established in 1959 under the aegis of the Sangeet Natak Akademi before becoming an autonomous body in 1975. The Sahitya Akademi Fellowship is the highest honour the institution bestows, limited to 21 living members at any time.
What is the number of spokes in the Dharma Chakra in the National Flag of India?
Explanation
Correct. The Ashoka Chakra (Dharma Chakra) at the centre of the Indian national flag has 24 spokes. It is derived from the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath, a UNESCO-significant monument. The 24 spokes represent the 24 hours of the day, symbolising continuous progress.
Recently, the manuscripts of which one of the following have been included in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register?
Explanation
Correct. The Rig Veda manuscripts were inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2007, recognising them as documentary heritage of global significance as the oldest known religious texts in the world.
Sign up free to unlock the full chapter set, timed mock tests, and progress analytics.