UPSC Exam: Right Strategy to cover Art and Culture for IAS Prelims

Knowing the subject in and out
Analysing the syllabus in the right method
Understanding the important topics
Mastering the subject

Step 1: Understand the Syllabus
Step 2: Analyse previous year question paper
Step 3: Know the necessary books or sources
Step 4: Strategise
Step 5: Revise
Step 6: Practice, Revise and Recall

Though the UPSC has not mentioned the art and culture in the prelims syllabus, however it is covered under the History of India and the art and culture syllabus for the Main exam is same for the prelims as well, which covers the salient features of Art forms, literature, and architecture from ancient to modern times as well as significant events, personalities, and issues in the news.

E.g. Question on Art and Culture from UPSC 2014

Consider the following pairs:
Garba : Gujarat
Mohiniattam : Odisha
Yakshagana : Karnataka

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched? 1 Only 2 and 3 Only 1 and 3 Only 1, 2 and 3 Only

Ans. (c)

Though the questions asked in the UPSC Exam has varied but art and culture has significant weightage in both prelims and mains exam.

Dance Forms
Architectures
Literature
Religion
Philosophy

NCERT
CCRT
NIOS

Refer a few sources and don’s waste time in reading too many sources
Should read Art and culture related issues in the newspaper and make notes for the same Questions from this area may range from moderate to difficult
Important to know the cultural heritage and richness of India