Varanasi Nominated as India's First 'UNESCO Heritage City' Candidate
The Government of India has formally nominated the ancient city of Varanasi for the UNESCO World Heritage City status for the 2026-27 cycle.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- Varanasi is India's official nominee for UNESCO World Heritage City status for 2026.
- It is known for its 'Living Heritage' and ancient urban structure.
- Currently, Ahmedabad and Jaipur are the only two Indian cities with this status.
- The nomination aligns with the PRASHAD scheme for heritage development.
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC / State PCS | High | 8–15 | UPSC tests physical, human, and economic geography together with environment policy. |
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | High | 3–6 | Physical geography, national parks, rivers, and climate events appear in SSC Tier-1. |
| Railway (RRB NTPC / Group D) | High | 4–7 | India's physical geography, minerals, dams, and river systems are standard Railway GK topics. |
| State PCS / PSC | Medium | 3–6 | State-specific geography — rivers, forests, mineral belts — is heavily tested in state exams. |
What to Memorize from This Topic
- New national parks, wildlife sanctuaries added to UNESCO or Ramsar list
- Natural disasters: location, cause, affected state/country
- Hydroelectric projects: river, state, capacity
- Climate summits: COP outcomes, India's commitments, NDC targets
- Minerals: states with largest reserves, mining policy changes
Practice Questions
Q1. Which was the first Indian city to be recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage City?
- Jaipur
- Ahmedabad
- Varanasi
- Hampi
Explanation: Ahmedabad was the first Indian city to receive the UNESCO World Heritage City status in 2017.
Q2. The nomination of Varanasi for UNESCO status is supported by which government scheme?
- HRIDAY
- PRASHAD
- AMRUT
- SAGARMALA
Explanation: The PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive) scheme focuses on developing heritage and pilgrimage sites like Varanasi.
How to Prepare Geography & Environment for Government Exams
Always locate a news event on a map. Geography questions link topical news to physical location. Practice placing events on a blank India map.
Environment news is high-yield. Track new Ramsar sites, World Heritage sites, and biosphere reserves added each year.
For UPSC, read about climate policy outcomes alongside geography. IPCC reports and India's emission targets are core material.
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