History · 21 Jul 2026

Taj Mahal ASI Ministry of Culture

Which one of the following statements regarding the Taj Mahal is correct?

AThe Taj Mahal was declared a Hindu temple by the Supreme Court of India in a 2000 verdict, which was subsequently challenged again in 2026.

BThe Archaeological Survey of India, which maintains the Taj Mahal, functions under the Ministry of Culture.

CThe Taj Mahal was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, over a decade after India's independence.

DThe Pietra Dura inlay technique used on the Taj Mahal has been documented in India from a period prior to the Mughal era.

This question is based on: Why the Taj Mahal Keeps Going Back to Court, Even After It Already Won

Take this in full test mode → Instructions for 21 Jul 2026

About this question

Why in news

The Allahabad High Court issued fresh notices to the Centre and ASI reviving a claim that the Taj Mahal is a Hindu temple, a claim already dismissed by the Supreme Court in 2000 and refuted by the ASI's 2017 affidavit.

Why for UPSC

UPSC often tests the institutional and administrative architecture behind well-known heritage sites (parent ministry, designation year, technical dating evidence) rather than the headline dispute itself.

Prelims summary

The ASI functions under the Ministry of Culture and maintains the Taj Mahal, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. The ASI's 2017 affidavit confirmed pietra dura inlay work is a Mughal-era technique, technically ruling out any pre-Mughal origin claim.

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