RAS question
Hill Forts of Rajasthan were included in UNESCO World Heritage List in which year?
Correct answer: (D) 2013.
The Hill Forts of Rajasthan were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013.
Explanation
The answer is 2013 because the Ministry of Culture identifies the Hill Forts of Rajasthan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in that year. The site consists of six forts: Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amber, and Jaisalmer. The Ministry page also records 2013 as the Date of Inscription and describes these forts as Rajput-era hill fortifications, developed between the 8th and 18th centuries, with defensive walls, palaces, temples, urban settlements and water-harvesting systems. For RAS, the important point is not merely that these are famous forts, but that the UNESCO inscription year for the serial property was 2013.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 2005 is wrong because the cited Ministry of Culture page gives the Date of Inscription for the Hill Forts of Rajasthan as 2013, not 2005.
- (B) 2015 is wrong because it comes after the recorded UNESCO inscription year; the Ministry source states that the site was inscribed in 2013.
- (C) 2010 is wrong because the six Hill Forts of Rajasthan were not inscribed in that year; both the explanation and the Ministry source point to 2013.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan art and culture through UNESCO World Heritage recognition, a recurring RAS theme because it links historical monuments with official heritage status. The year 2013 is the key factual anchor for the Hill Forts of Rajasthan.