Criteria for Selection
- Nominated sites must be of “outstanding universal value” ten mentioned criteria:
Criteria for Cultural Sites
- Represents a masterpiece of human creative genius.
- Exhibits an important interchange of human values over a span of time, or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town- planning or landscape design.
- Bears a unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilisation which is living or which has disappeared.
- Is an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural, or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates a significant stage in human history.
- Is an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use or sea-use which is representative of a culture or human-interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.
- Is directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.
Criteria for Natural Sites
- Contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.
- Is an outstanding example representing major stages of the Earth’s history, including the record of life, significant ongoing geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features.
- Is an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems, and communities of plants and animals.
- Contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal values from the point of view of science or conservation.
Legal status of designated sites
- If a site is declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
- It is accepted as prima facie evidence that such a site is culturally sensitive
- And warrants legal protection pursuant to Law of War under Geneva Convention, its Articles, protocols and customs, together with the other treaties including the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and International Law. - Article 53 of Geneva Convention treaty promulgates:
“Protection Of Cultural Objects And Places Of Worship: Without prejudice to the provisions of the ‘Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 14 May 1954’ and other relevant international instalments, it is prohibited:
- To commit any act of hostility directed against the historic monuments, works of art or places of worship which constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of people;
- To use such objects in support of the military effort;
- To make such objects the object of reprisal.
Try yourself:Which of the following is not a UNESCO Heritage Site?
Explanation
Bagh caves are not part of the UNESCO heritage site in India.There are 38 World Heritage Sites located in India. These include 30 cultural sites, 7 natural sites and 1 mixed-criteria site. India has the sixth largest number of sites in the world.
UNESCO Word Heritage Sites in India
Try yourself:Arrange the following sites in the ascending order of year in
which they were listed as a UNESCO heritage site: I. Taj Mahal
II. Sanchi Stupa
III. Qutub Minar
Brihadeshwara temple
Explanation
- Taj Mahal (Uttar Pradesh)-1983
- Great Chola Temples [Brihadeshwara Temple, Thanjavur(Tamil Nadu),-1987
- Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi-1989
- Qutub Minar and it Monuments (Delhi))-1993
Try yourself:Which of the following is the last site till now to be enlisted as UNESCO Heritage site?
Explanation
Rani ki Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell), (Gujarat)-2014 Rani ki Vav or Ranki vav is a stepwell situated in the town of Patan in Gujarat state of India. It is located on the banks of the Saraswati river.
- Natural Sites

Try yourself:Consider the following sites: I. Sun temple, Konark
II. Pattadakal Temple, Karnataka
III. Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya
Which of the above is/are UNESCO heritage site?
Explanation
All are UNESCO heritage sites of India.

Benefits of the World Heritage Site Status
- Brings international attention to the need for the preservation and conservation of the site.
- Brings tourism to the site ensuring economic benefits.
- UNESCO can provide funds for restoration, preservation, and training, if required.
- Promotes close ties with the United Nations system and the prestige and support it provides.
- Enables access to global project management resources.
- Facilitates creating partnerships between government, the private sector, and NGOs to achieve conservation goals.
- Site becomes protected under the Geneva Convention against destruction or misuse during wartime.
Try yourself:Which of the following is not correctly matched?
Explanation
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (Karnataka) (Nine Hindu temples and one jain temple which includes Virupaksha temple, Papanatha temple, etc.)
Try yourself:Which of the following is a criteria for selection of a site as UNESCO heritage site?
Explanation
Criteria for Cultural Sites
- Represents a masterpiece of human creative genius
- Is an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use or sea-use which is representative of a culture or human-interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.
- Apart from these two, another eight criteria are also taken into account to select a cultural site.