Prelims GS I · 67 questions · 2011–2026
Art & culture: every Prelims question, by topic
UPSC syllabus: “History of India and Indian National Movement.” Below, the topics inside it — most asked first — and how often each came up year by year.
Art & culture in Prelims 2012: 4 questions
All years →- Q1 · Literature, philosophy & religionWith reference to the scientific progress of ancient India, which of the statements given below are correct? Different kinds of specialized surgical instruments were in common use by 1st century AD. T…
- Q16 · Architecture & sculptureThe Nagara, the Dravida and the Vesara are the…
- Q17 · Music, dance & theatreWith reference to Dhrupad, one of the major traditions of India that has been kept alive for centuries, Which of the following statements are correct? Dhrupad originated and developed in the Rajput ki…
- Q18 · Music, dance & theatreHow do you distinguish between Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dances? Dancers occasionally speaking dialogues is found in Kuchipudi dance but not in Bharatnatyam Dancing on the brass plate by keeping the…
Art & culture in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 67 questions on Art & culture in GS Paper I from 2011 to 2026 — about 4 a year, the most in 2014 (13). The most-asked topic is Literature, philosophy & religion (18 questions).
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 8 Nov 2026.
- Literature, philosophy & religion18 questions · asked in 12 of 16 years
- Architecture & sculpture16 questions · asked in 12 of 16 years
- Music, dance & theatre12 questions · asked in 8 of 16 years
- Festivals, UNESCO heritage & miscellany12 questions · asked in 8 of 16 years
- Painting, crafts & GI heritage9 questions · asked in 7 of 16 years
Latest questions
- 2026 · Q1 · Music, dance & theatreनिम्नलिखित में से कर्नाटक संगीत के किस राग का हिन्दुस्तानी संगीत के राग बिलावल से मेल है ?…
- 2026 · Q4 · Architecture & sculptureनिम्नलिखित में से किस मंदिर/किन मंदिरों में नागर-शैली के शिखर हैं ?…
- 2026 · Q6 · Painting, crafts & GI heritageबाघ गुफाओं में विद्यमान हल्लिसालस्य चित्र क्या प्रदर्शित करता है ?…
- 2026 · Q7 · Literature, philosophy & religionभारत में स्थानीय-मान पद्धति (place-value system) के उपयोग से संबंधित निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिए :…
- 2026 · Q12 · Architecture & sculptureप्रारंभिक बौद्ध मूर्तिविद्या में रिक्त स्थान (empty seat) क्या दर्शाता है ?…
The same ground in Mains
These official Mains syllabus lines cover Art & culture. Prelims facts become Mains arguments.
Art & culture PYQs as a PDF — free
All 48 PDFs →Every Art & culture question from 2011 to 2026, topic-wise, with answers and explanations — 28 pages. Free; sign up once.
Art & culture PYQs: quick answers
How many Art & culture questions has UPSC asked in Prelims from 2011 to 2026?
67 questions in GS Paper I — about 4 a year, the most in 2014 (13). Every one is on this page, under its topic, with UPSC's answer and an explanation.
Which Art & culture topic does UPSC ask most in Prelims?
Literature, philosophy & religion: 18 questions between 2011 and 2026, asked in 12 of 16 years. The topics are listed above, most asked first, each with its year-by-year trend.
Are the answers UPSC's official answer keys?
From 2016, yes: every answer is from UPSC's final answer key (2016–2025); for 2011–2015, where UPSC published no key online, each answer is worked out from official sources and reviewed independently; for 2026 UPSC has so far published a provisional key, and those answers are labelled. Explanations cite official sources — NCERT and government pages first.
Can I download the Art & culture PYQs as a PDF?
Yes — a print-ready PDF of every Art & culture question with answers and explanations (28 pages, 0.8 MB), free after a one-time sign-up, from the Vault's downloads page.
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault; answers are UPSC's keys.
