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Art & culture

Prelims · Art & culture · 9 questions

Music, dance & theatre

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Music, dance & theatre questions per year: 2016: 0, 2017: 1, 2018: 1, 2019: 1, 2020: 0, 2021: 0, 2022: 0, 2023: 0, 2024: 0, 2025: 1, 2026: 2 Asked in 5 of 11 years · most in 2026 (2)

UPSC syllabus: “History of India and Indian National Movement.” See the full syllabus →

Which one of the following was the latest inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Garba dance

Garba of Gujarat is the most recent of the four, inscribed in December 2023. The other three were listed earlier: Chhau dance in 2010, Kumbh Mela in 2017 and Durga Puja in Kolkata in 2021.

  • ✓ (c) UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee inscribed Garba of Gujarat on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at its 18th session in Kasane, Botswana, in December 2023. It was India's 15th inscription.
  • ✗ (d) Kumbh Mela was inscribed in 2017 (12th session of the Committee), six years before Garba.
  • ✗ (b) Durga Puja in Kolkata was inscribed in 2021 (16th session), two years before Garba.
  • ✗ (a) Chhau dance is the oldest of the four, inscribed in 2010 (5th session).

Remember · Chhau 2010, Kumbh Mela 2017, Durga Puja in Kolkata 2021, Garba of Gujarat 2023 (India's 15th ICH inscription).

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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