Art and Culture Mains Questions: Download Art and Culture PYQ UPSC Mains PDF
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 14th, 2023
Art and Culture Mains Questions are asked in GS Paper 1 of the UPSC Mains exam. Literature, Indian Art Forms & Architecture are the major parts of the Art and Culture PYQ UPSC Mains. The number of questions may vary with each year. Candidates should refer to the Art and Culture Previous Year Questions UPSC Mains to gain a better understanding of the difficulty level and types of questions asked.
The extensive syllabus for the General Studies Paper-I of the Mains Exam includes information on Indian History and Culture. According to current trends, there have been more questions about Indian art and culture in the paper. In order to prepare for the IAS Exam, aspirants should review and practice the Art and Culture Mains Questions.
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Art and Culture Mains Questions
All the candidates who are able to clear the UPSC Prelims examination will have to sit for the Mains exam. To assist in the process, we have provided the Art and Culture Mains questions here which have appeared in the previous years from 2013-2022.
Art and Culture Mains Questions PDF
The UPSC Mains Syllabus consists of a variety of topics under different sections. Art and Culture is one such topic that requires attention from IAS aspirants if they want to score well in the exam. All the Art and Culture PYQ for UPSC Mains have been provided above in PDF format for the candidates’ reference.
- Art and Culture Mains Questions 2022 – Questions asked were from varied topics such as Gupta and Chola Period, Medieval Temple Scriptures, etc.
- Art and Culture Previous Year Questions UPSC Mains 2021 – One question was asked on the Bhakti Movement and its contribution to Indian culture.
- Art and Culture Mains Questions 2020 – 4 good level questions were put up on the topic of Indian History and Architecture.
Art and Culture Questions UPSC Mains 2022
A total of two art and culture mains questions were asked in UPSC Mains 2022 Question Paper. As per the analysis and students feedback, the difficulty level of the questions asked was easy. Aspirants preparing for the upcoming UPSC exam must practice the art and culture UPSC mains questions 2022 given below.
- Question 1 – How will you explain that medieval Indian temple sculptures represent the social life of those days?
- Question 2 – Discuss the significance of the lion and bull figures in Indian mythology, art, and architecture.
To ensure that all important points have been covered in your answer, go through the Temple Architecture in India and the National Symbols of India which include both lion and bull.
Art and Culture PYQ UPSC Mains 2021
The Art and Culture section from GS 1 Syllabus made a small appearance in the UPSC Mains question paper 2021. There was only 1 question that was asked on this topic which was less as compared to the questions asked in the previous years. Therefore, candidates need to be well prepared from all aspects by referring to the Art and Culture Mains questions of the exam.
Q1. Evaluate the nature of the Bhakti Movement and its contribution to Indian culture.
Indian Heritage and Culture UPSC Mains Questions 2020
Candidates preparing for the exam need to be well aware of the UPSC exam pattern and the syllabus thoroughly. By keeping a check on the previous year’s questions for Art and Culture, candidates can ensure that they are well set for any kind of questions that may appear in the exam. The Art and Culture UPSC Mains questions of 2020 are given below:
- Q1 The rock-cut architecture represents one of the most important sources of our knowledge of early Indian art and history. Discuss.
- Q2 The Pala period is the most significant phase in the history of Buddhism in India. Enumerate.
- Q3 Indian Philosophy and tradition played a significant role in conceiving and shaping the monuments and their art in India. Discuss.
- Q4 Persian literary sources of medieval India reflect the spirit of the age. Comment.
Art and Culture Mains Questions: 2019 -2013
To have a clear understanding of the exam, candidates must check all the Art and Culture previous year questions UPSC Mains that appeared in the exam from 2013 to 2019.
| Year | UPSC Art and Culture Mains Questions |
| Art and Culture Mains Questions 2019 | Q1. Highlight the Central Asian and Greco-Bactrian elements in Gandhara art. |
| UPSC Mains Art and Culture Questions 2018 | Q1. Safeguarding the Indian Art Heritage is the need of the moment. Discuss.
Q2. Assess the importance of the accounts of the Chinese and Arab Travellers in the reconstruction of the history of India. Q3. The Bhakti literature received a remarkable re-orientation with the advent of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Discuss |
| Art and Culture PYQ UPSC Mains 2017 | Q1. How do you justify the view that the level of excellence of the Gupta numismatic art is not at all noticeable in later times?
Q2. Examine how the decline of the traditional artisanal industry in colonial India crippled the rural economy. |
| Art and Culture UPSC Previous Year Questions Mains 2016 | Q1. Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives successfully expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate.
Q2. Krishnadeva Raya, the King of Vijayanagar, was not only an accomplished scholar himself but was also a great patron of learning and literature. Discuss. |
| UPSC Art and Culture Questions Mains 2015 | Q1. The ancient civilization in the Indian sub-continent differed from those of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece in that its culture and traditions have been preserved without a breakdown to the present day. Comment.
Q2. Mesolithic rock-cut architecture of India not only reflects the cultural life of the times but also has a fine aesthetic sense comparable to modern painting. Critically evaluate this comment. |
| Art and Culture Mains Questions 2014 | Q1. To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization provided inputs to present-day urbanization? Discuss.
Q2. Gandhara’s sculpture owed as much to the Romans as to the Greeks. Explain. Q3. Taxila university was one of the oldest universities in the world which was associated with a number of renowned learned personalities of different disciplines. Its strategic location caused its fame to flourish, but unlike Nalanda, it is not considered a university in the modern sense. Discuss. Q4. Sufis and medieval mystic saints failed to modify either the religious ideas and practices or the outward structure of Hindu/Muslim societies to any appreciable extent. Comment. |
| Art and Culture UPSC Mains Questions 2013 | Q1. Though not very useful from the point of view of a connected political history of South India, the Sangam literature portrays the social and economic conditions of its time with remarkable vividness. Comment.
Q2. Discuss the Tandava dance as recorded in the early Indian inscriptions. Q3. Chola architecture represents a high watermark in the evolution of temple architecture. Discuss. |
How to Prepare Art and Culture UPSC Mains Questions?
To master the Art and Culture UPSC Mains questions, all the aspirants need to be fully aware of all the important topics that might be asked. Referring to the Art and Culture PYQ UPSC Mains will not only help the candidates in getting familiar with the exam pattern but also develop a fair idea of how to go about the preparation.
Apart from the specific strategy that all candidates must be following, here are a few simple tips that can be followed while preparing for Art and Culture for UPSC Mains.
- Get ahold of the exam pattern and the IAS syllabus.
- Have a look at the Previous Year’s Art and Culture Mains questions (GS-1) for the Mains exam.
- Segregate the important topics and make a proper timetable that can cater to your needs as per the exam syllabus.
- Strengthen your knowledge by going through the Art and Culture Notes.
- Join any reputed online coaching, Mock test series, and attempt a full-length test on Art and Culture.
- Remember, there can not be a fixed successful strategy for all aspirants. You will have to tweak it as per your requirements.
- Revision is the key to success.
