UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India – UPSC Notes
UPSC Prelims
Current affairs
Latest Update
Gajendra Singh Godara
Apr 21, 2025
8
mins read
India, a land of diverse cultures and landscapes, is home to several treasures recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. These sites are globally acknowledged for their outstanding cultural or natural value. For UPSC aspirants, understanding these sites goes beyond memorization — it involves grasping their historical, ecological, and international significance.
Background
The concept of preserving world heritage was institutionalized by UNESCO in the 20th century. With over 1,100 sites globally, UNESCO encourages countries to identify and protect places of exceptional cultural or natural importance to humanity.
India signed the World Heritage Convention on 14th November 1977, and as of March 2025, it has 43 World Heritage Sites:
35 Cultural Sites
7 Natural Sites
1 Mixed Site
About the UNESCO World Heritage Convention
The World Heritage Convention was adopted by UNESCO in 1972 to encourage the identification, protection, and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world that holds outstanding universal value.
Objectives:
Promote cooperation among nations for heritage conservation
Identify sites with "Outstanding Universal Value" (OUV)
Provide international support for heritage preservation
India’s Participation:
India became a signatory to the World Heritage Convention on 14th November 1977, demonstrating its commitment to preserving its rich cultural and ecological heritage. Since then, India has actively participated in the nomination and conservation of sites recognized by UNESCO.
Selection Criteria
To be listed as a World Heritage Site, a property must meet at least one of the ten selection criteria defined by UNESCO. These are divided into two categories:
Cultural Criteria:
Representing a masterpiece of human creative genius
Exhibiting an important interchange of human values
Bearing unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization
Exemplifying a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape
Being an outstanding example of traditional human settlement or land use
Being directly associated with events, living traditions, or artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance
Natural Criteria :
Containing superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty
Representing major stages of Earth's history, including the record of life and geological features
Being outstanding examples representing significant ongoing ecological and biological processes
Containing the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity
Legal Status and Protection in India
In India, heritage sites are protected under:
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958
The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (for natural sites)
Environment Protection Act, 1986
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), along with State Governments, manages the preservation and upkeep of cultural sites.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India (2025)
Latest Additions to the UNESCO World Heritage List
Ramappa Temple (Telangana) – 2021
Dholavira: Harappan City (Gujarat) – 2021
Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala (Karnataka) – 2023
Santiniketan (West Bengal) – 2023
Quick Note
In addition to the inscribed sites, aspirants should also stay aware of:
The UNESCO Tentative Heritage List (India has several entries awaiting inscription)
Other UNESCO-recognized initiatives, like Intangible Cultural Heritage, Biosphere Reserves, and Global Geoparks
Given how often these updates are covered in current affairs, it's vital to track them regularly. One of the easiest ways to stay on top of this is through the PadhAI app, which offers:
Curated current affairs capsules on heritage and culture
Topic-wise quizzes to test retention
Easy access to summaries of both inscribed and tentative UNESCO sites
This helps in ensuring you're not just exam-ready but also consistently updated — without the need to scroll through endless news sources.
01
Use Maps to visually remember locations
02
Highlight Year of Recognition
03
Link Sites with Architecture Styles (Dravidian, Nagara, Indo-Islamic, etc.)
04
Keep Track of Current Nominations and tentative lists
05
Practice PYQs and make short notes
India’s World Heritage Sites are not just tourist attractions but are windows into our rich civilization and biodiversity. For UPSC aspirants, understanding their background, features, and global recognition can fetch crucial marks in all three stages of the exam — Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Continuous revision, linkage with current affairs, and a conceptual approach will help in mastering this topic.
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