- Why in news
- On 18 April 2026 (World Heritage Day), PIB published an explainer on monument conservation. It says the ASI protects 3,686 centrally protected monuments and India has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
- What it is
- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the Ministry of Culture's main body for archaeological research and for protecting monuments of national importance. It works under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. Monuments not of national importance are handled by States.
- NMMA
- Set up in 2007 under the ASI to build a national database of monuments and antiquities.
- Intangible heritage convention
- The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage was adopted in 2003. Examples are Yoga and Buddhist chanting of Ladakh.
Don’t confuse with Union List Entry 67 vs State List Entry 12: Entry 67 covers monuments of national importance (Centre). Entry 12 covers other monuments (States).
Don’t confuse with Adopt a Heritage vs ASI conservation: Monument Mitras only run amenities. Conservation remains solely with the ASI.
Art and culture in the news: Prelims tests UNESCO listings, GI tags and where a site is.
Why it matters
- Heritage conservation supports tourism, local livelihoods and cultural diplomacy.
- Digital records and scientific methods improve long-term care of monuments.
Problems
- Responsibility is split between the Centre and States, so protection standards can vary.
- Ageing, environmental damage and development near protected sites strain conservation.
Way forward
- Use GIS, drones and 3D scanning to track and plan conservation near protected zones.
- Keep corporate partnerships limited to amenities, with conservation led by the ASI.
Put in your answer
Article 49 and Article 51A(f): Constitutional basis for state and citizen duty to protect heritage.
National Policy 2014: Stresses minimal intervention and scientific methods in conservation.
- 2018Mains GS1 · Q1Discuss why safeguarding India's art heritage is needed now.
- 2004Prelims Q6Which ministry the Archaeological Survey of India is an attached office of.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Standing heritage topic with numbers (3,686 monuments, 44 World Heritage Sites). Culture has 8 Prelims questions since 2013, and a Mains question is unlikely.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.