2018 · GS Paper 1 · Q1 · 10 marks
Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment. Discuss.
In short
Safeguarding Indian art heritage is urgent because theft, encroachment, pollution and fading patronage erode it faster than laws and agencies protect it. The CAG's Report No. 36 of 2025 found 31 centrally protected monuments in Uttar Pradesh untraceable and 94% of those audited without legal title.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 266 words
Theft and smuggling
The Sripuranthan Chola Nataraja, sold through Subhash Kapoor, returned from Australia only in 2014, and 642 of the 655 antiquities retrieved since 1976 came home after 2014 (PIB, 2025).
Neglect and encroachment
The CAG's Report No. 36 of 2025 found 31 protected monuments in Uttar Pradesh untraceable and 94% of those audited without legal title.
Pollution and fading arts
Pollution led M.C. Mehta (1996) to curb industry in the Taj Trapezium Zone, while Kutiyattam's 10 to 15 years of training finds few heirs.
Legal shield
The AMASR Act, 1958 (amended 2010 with prohibited and regulated zones) and the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 rest on Article 49 and the Article 51A(f) duty.
Documentation and funding
The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities has digitised over 12 lakh antiquities, and ASI preservation spending rose from ₹260.83 crore in 2020-21 to ₹443.53 crore in 2023-24.
Gaps
Untitled monuments, few trained conservators and weak support for artisans keep protection behind the threat.
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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2018 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.