Background
The Capitol Complex at Chandigarh is not inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a property of its own. It is one component of a property that the List carries under the title "The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement". The listing gives the Date of Inscription as 2016 and the criteria as (i)(ii)(vi). The page states that "the 17 sites comprising this transnational serial property are spread over seven countries", and elsewhere that they lie "in seven countries on three continents". The States Parties named for the property are Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan and Switzerland. The Indian component appears on the page as "The Complexe du Capitole in Chandigarh (India)". UNESCO records that the Capitol Complex "had a considerable influence across the Indian subcontinent, where it symbolized India's accession to modernity". The 17 sites were chosen from work by Le Corbusier that survives "in eleven countries on four continents".
Title of the World Heritage property:
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
Date of Inscription:
2016
Criteria:
(i)(ii)(vi)
Spread of the serial property:
the 17 sites comprising this transnational serial property are spread over seven countries
The Indian component site:
The Complexe du Capitole in Chandigarh (India)
Why it matters for exams: A property shared by seven countries is exactly the kind of World Heritage entry an examiner uses to link an Indian site to a global list, and candidates who have learnt the Capitol Complex as a stand-alone Indian site get it wrong.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Serial property serial World Heritage property — A single World Heritage inscription made up of several separate component sites rather than one continuous area.
States Parties States Parties to the World Heritage Convention — The countries that have signed the World Heritage Convention and are responsible for the properties on their territory.
Background
Puducherry is the Tamil interpretation of 'new town' and mainly derives from 'Poduke', the name of the marketplace or port town for Roman trade in the 1st century. The original name of the territory, Putucceri, is derived from the Tamil words putu ('new') and ceri ('village') or 'New settlement'. The French changed this to Pondichéry, which it was called until its name was officially changed to Puducherry in 2006. Among its attractions the most outstanding is the French Colony, also called the White Town, flaunting cobblestone streets and yellow houses, where the historic building housing the French consulate also stands and streets keep names such as Rue Dumas, Rue Romain Rolland and Rue Suffren. Another major highlight of Puducherry is Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a spiritual community founded in 1926 by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, which is a centre of yoga and meditation. The famous experimental centre, Auroville, is located nearby; it is an experimental township founded in 1968 with the aim of promoting human unity, harmony, and sustainable living, is home to people from over 50 nationalities, and houses 'Matri Mandir', Sanskrit for Temple of the Mother.
Other name of the French Colony in Puducherry:
the White Town
Year the name was officially changed to Puducherry:
2006
Year the Sri Aurobindo Ashram was founded:
1926
Year the Auroville township was founded:
1968
Nationalities living in Auroville:
over 50 nationalities
Roman-era name from which Puducherry derives:
Poduke
Why it matters for exams: The White Town, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the Auroville township are the three cultural landmarks an examiner reaches for when setting a question on Puducherry, and the etymology from Poduke links the place to ancient Roman trade.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Matri Mandir Matri Mandir — The spherical meditation hall at the centre of Auroville; the name is Sanskrit for Temple of the Mother.
White Town White Town — The old French residential quarter of Puducherry, also called the French Colony.
Background
UNESCO records Srinagar as a member of its Creative Cities Network in the category Crafts and Folk Art, a member since 2021.
UNESCO's city page states that Srinagar is known for its unique handicrafts and handloom products, and that since the 14th century the city has become known for its rich arts and crafts tradition and heritage. The artisan base of the city is described as tens of thousands of craftspeople strong across a large number of crafts disciplines, with a flourishing arts and crafts market and many direct links between the artisans and the places where their products are shown.
As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, UNESCO's page sets out the steps it says will be important for the city: contributing to improving the local living environment and working infrastructure for the creative field concerned, integrating a special focus on local craftspeople for sustainable development, encouraging different groups, notably young people, women and vulnerable groups, to develop their skills in crafts and folk art, and promoting knowledge exchange, innovation and information dissemination in the creative field of crafts.
The territory's best known craft product carries a separate legal protection: the Ministry of Textiles records that the Pashmina shawl is registered as Kashmir Pashmina vide application No.46 under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
A geographical indication is an indication used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
Srinagar's category in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network:
Crafts and Folk Art
Year Srinagar became a member of the Network:
2021
Century from which Srinagar's crafts reputation dates:
14th century
GI application number for Kashmir Pashmina:
application No.46
Law under which Kashmir Pashmina is registered:
Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999
Why it matters for exams: UNESCO Creative City categories and Indian GI registrations are both frequently asked lists, and Srinagar's crafts sit in both, which makes the pair easy to link in a question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
GI Geographical Indication — A sign used on goods whose qualities or reputation come from the place they are made.
UCCN UNESCO Creative Cities Network — A UNESCO network of cities recognised in one of seven creative fields.
Background
Three properties in Delhi are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: Humayun's Tomb, Delhi; Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi; and the Red Fort Complex. Humayun's Tomb was inscribed in 1993 under criteria (ii)(iv). UNESCO records that “This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent”, that “It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal”, and that it is surmounted by “a 42.5 m high double dome clad with marble flanked by pillared kiosks”. The garden-tomb is also called the ‘dormitory of the Mughals’ because over 150 Mughal family members are buried in its cells. Qutb Minar and its Monuments was inscribed in 1993 under criterion (iv). UNESCO describes it as “Built in the early 13th century a few kilometres south of Delhi, the red sandstone tower of Qutb Minar is 72.5 m high, tapering from 2.75 m in diameter at its peak to 14.32 m at its base”. The Red Fort Complex was inscribed in 2007 under criteria (ii)(iii)(vi). UNESCO records that it “was built as the palace fort of Shahjahanabad – the new capital of the fifth Mughal Emperor of India, Shah Jahan”, and that it “is adjacent to an older fort, the Salimgarh, built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546, with which it forms the Red Fort Complex”.
Name under which the Mughal palace-fort is listed:
Red Fort Complex
Height of the Qutb Minar, as UNESCO states it:
72.5 m high
Diameter of the Qutb Minar at its base:
14.32 m at its base
Height of the double dome over Humayun's Tomb:
a 42.5 m high double dome
Year UNESCO gives for the building of Humayun's Tomb:
built in 1570
Builder and year of the Salimgarh:
built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546
Why it matters for exams: The number of World Heritage properties in Delhi, their inscription years and the Qutb Minar's height are standard objective questions, and the Humayun's Tomb-to-Taj Mahal line of descent is a favourite link question in art and culture papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
charbagh four-quadrant garden — A garden divided into four parts by walkways or water channels, the setting of a Mughal garden-tomb.
Shahjahanabad Shah Jahan's capital city at Delhi — The walled city built around the Red Fort, today's Old Delhi.
Background
The Rock Garden at Chandigarh was "Crafted by a former road inspector, Nek Chand, in 1957" and is "also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden". The Ministry of Tourism records it as "Spread across a massive 40-acre wonderland" and "Meticulously divided into three distinct phases". Nek Chand worked on "the once-barren forest area near Sukhna Lake, transforming it into a hidden wonderland through a complex network of interlinked courtyards that spanned 12 acres". "For 18 years, Nek Chand's labour of love remained a closely guarded secret" until "its existence was unveiled to the authorities in 1975"; public support saved it from demolition, he was given "a team of 50 artisans", and "In 1976, the gates to this enchanting realm were opened". The garden now has "over 5,000 statues adorning its borders" and is "an open-air exhibition celebrating the best from waste", in which "terracotta pots, light fixtures, and even broken toilet pots are reimagined into extraordinary masterpieces", alongside "tiles, mirrors, broken bangles".
Who made it, and when:
Crafted by a former road inspector, Nek Chand, in 1957
Extent of the garden:
Spread across a massive 40-acre wonderland
Number of statues:
over 5,000 statues adorning its borders
Layout:
Meticulously divided into three distinct phases
Years it stayed a secret:
For 18 years, Nek Chand's labour of love remained a closely guarded secret
When it opened to the public:
In 1976, the gates to this enchanting realm were opened
Why it matters for exams: The Rock Garden is the standard example in Indian art and environment questions of a public artwork made entirely from municipal waste, and candidates routinely credit it to Le Corbusier instead of Nek Chand.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Best from waste best from waste — Making usable or artistic objects out of discarded material instead of new raw material.
Background
"Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty" is on the UNESCO World Heritage List under cultural criteria (iii) and (iv), with a date of inscription of 2024 and reference number 1711. UNESCO's description reads: "Set in the foothills of the Patkai Ranges in eastern Assam, the property contains the royal necropolis of the Tai-Ahom. For 600 years, the Tai-Ahom created moidams (burial mounds) accentuating the natural topography of hills, forests and water, thus forming a sacred geography." Ninety moidams – hollow vaults built of brick, stone or earth – of different sizes are found within the site, and the record covers 600 years from the 13th to the 19th centuries CE. The vaults held the remains of kings and royalty, at times with queens, servants and grave goods. The property area is 96.5 ha, with a buffer zone of 793.7 ha. Living Tai-Ahom ritual practices of ancestor worship continue at the Charaideo necropolis.
Criteria:
(iii)(iv)
Property area:
96.5 ha
Buffer zone:
793.7 ha
Moidams found within the site:
Ninety
Date of Inscription:
2024
World Heritage reference number:
1711
Why it matters for exams: This is the newest World Heritage property named for Assam, and it is the only Indian one that rests on a mound-burial tradition, which makes both the dynasty and the site name easy to test.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Moidam Moidam — A hollow vault of brick, stone or earth under a mound, used for Ahom royal burials.
Necropolis Necropolis — A large burial ground, especially one belonging to an ancient city or dynasty.
Background
The Cellular Jail stands in the capital town of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and is also known as Kala Pani. A Press Information Bureau feature records that the British revived the idea of a penal settlement in the Andamans in the wake of the First War of Indian Independence of 1857, and that on 10 March 1858 the first batch of 200 grievous political offenders touched the shores of Chatham Island within Port Blair harbour in South Andaman. Fearing that political prisoners would spread revolutionary ideas among other prisoners and also mingle within their group, the British rulers decided on solitary cells in a far off place, and the Cellular Jail was completed in 1906. Incredible India records that construction started in 1896 and took ten years, that the design was based on the idea of the Panopticon, a prison with a central observation tower overlooking individual cells, and that the building contained three floors and seven wings connected like the spokes of a wheel, of which three wings stand today. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose described the jail as the Indian Bastille. After 183 prisoners went on a 37-day hunger strike from 24 July 1937, the first batch of freedom fighters left the Andamans on 22 September 1937 and the last batch by 18 January 1938; the penal settlement itself was abolished in 1946. The jail was dedicated as a National Memorial on 11 February 1979 by the then Prime Minister, Shri Morarji Desai, and it is in UNESCO's tentative list of World Heritage Site.
Year the Cellular Jail was completed:
1906
Netaji's description of the jail:
Indian Bastille
Size of the first batch of political offenders deported:
the first batch of 200
Length of the political prisoners' hunger strike:
37-day hunger strike
Dedicated as a National Memorial:
on 11 February 1979 by the then Prime Minister, Shri Morarji Desai
World Heritage status:
in UNESCO's tentative list of World Heritage Site
Why it matters for exams: Both Kerala PSC and UPSC set questions on the Andaman penal settlement, on who called the jail the Indian Bastille and on its status as a National Memorial, and the hunger strike that emptied it of political prisoners links the island story to the mainland freedom movement.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Kala Pani Kala Pani, black water — The popular name for transportation across the sea to the Andaman penal settlement.
Panopticon Panopticon — A prison plan in which a central observation tower overlooks every individual cell.
Tentative list UNESCO tentative list — The inventory of sites a country intends to nominate for the World Heritage List in future.
Background
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre's State Party page for Germany records 55 Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. Of these, 52 are cultural and 3 are natural; since 52 and 3 together account for all 55, Germany has no mixed property on the list. Germany's date of ratification of the World Heritage Convention is given as Monday, 23 August 1976. German properties on the list include Aachen Cathedral (1978), the Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch (1991), the Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau (1996, 2017), Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe (2013) and the Archaeological Border complex of Hedeby and the Danevirke (2018). The same page lists 11 sites on Germany's Tentative List, which UNESCO describes as an inventory of those properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List:
55
Cultural properties:
52
Natural properties:
3
Date of ratification of the World Heritage Convention:
Monday, 23 August 1976
Sites on the Tentative List:
11
Why it matters for exams: World Heritage counts and the cultural-versus-natural split are standard one-mark questions, and the Tentative List is routinely confused with the main List — a site on the Tentative List is not yet World Heritage.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
State Party A country that has ratified the World Heritage Convention — Only a State Party may nominate sites within its territory for the World Heritage List.
Tentative List A State Party's inventory of properties it intends to consider for nomination — It is a waiting list of candidates and confers no World Heritage status.
Background
UNESCO's States Parties page for France records the Acceptance of the Convention as Friday, 27 June 1975; acceptance is one of the ways in which a State becomes party to the World Heritage Convention. France has 56 properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. Of these, 47 are cultural, 7 are natural and 2 are mixed. A further 31 sites stand on France's Tentative List, which the page describes as an inventory of those properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination. Inscribed French properties include Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay, the Palace and Park of Versailles, and Chartres Cathedral.
Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List:
56
Cultural properties:
47
Natural properties:
7
Mixed properties:
2
Sites on the Tentative List:
31
Acceptance of the Convention:
Friday, 27 June 1975
Why it matters for exams: World Heritage counts are a standing question type for any Country Focus, and the split into cultural, natural and mixed properties, together with the Tentative List, is the part candidates most often confuse.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Tentative List Tentative List — An inventory of the properties a State Party intends to consider for nomination to the World Heritage List.
Mixed property Mixed World Heritage property — A site inscribed for both cultural and natural value, so it is counted separately from the cultural and natural totals.
Background
The Thrissur District Administration records that Kodungalloor had the distinction of being the Primum Emporium India and the honour of having first given shelter to the Christians, the Jews and the Muslims.
The district's early history is the history of the Kulasekharas of Mahodayapuram, and from the twelfth century onwards it is the history of the rise and growth of the Perumpadappu Swarupam.
The Perumpadappu Moopil is referred to as the Kerala Chakravarthi in the Sivavilasam and some other works.
One of the landmarks in the history of the Perumpadappu Swarupam is the foundation of a new era called the Pudu Vaipu Era, traditionally believed to have commenced from the date on which the island of Vypeen was thrown from the sea.
In 1790 Raja Rama Varma, popularly known as Saktan Tampuran, ascended the throne of Cochin and reigned until 1805, although he had been at the helm of affairs since 1769.
Saktan Tampuran was mainly responsible for the destruction of the power of the feudal chieftains and the increase of royal power, and he put an end to the institution of the Yogiatirippad.
The Shakthan Thampuran Palace, also named Vadakkekara Palace, was reconstructed in Kerala-Dutch style in 1795 by Ramavarma Thampuran and is preserved by the Archaeological Department.
The palace has a two-storeyed main structure with a traditional Kerala style Nalukettu, and it was converted into a museum in 2005 by the State.
Saktan Tampuran's reign:
1790-1805
At the helm of affairs since:
1769
Palace reconstructed:
1795, in Kerala-Dutch style
Palace converted into a museum:
2005
Why it matters for exams: Saktan Thampuran, the Perumpadappu Swarupam and Kodungallur's place in trade history are recurring Kerala history questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Perumpadappu Swarupam Perumpadappu Swarupam — The ruling house of Cochin, whose head was called the Perumpadappu Moopil.
Nalukettu Nalukettu — A traditional Kerala house built around a central open courtyard.
Primum Emporium India Primum Emporium India — A Latin description meaning the first trading mart of India, applied to Kodungalloor.
Background
The Thrissur District Administration records that Cochin was the first princely state to join the Indian Union willingly.
After independence, E. Ikkanda Warrier became the first Prime Minister of Cochin.
The first step towards the goal of Aikyakerala was taken with the integration of the Travancore and Cochin states in July 1949.
In 1949 the Travancore-Cochin state came into being by the merger of Cochin and Travancore, with Parur T. K. Narayana Pillai as its first chief minister.
Travancore-Cochin was in turn merged with the Malabar district of the Madras State.
The Government of India's 1 November 1956 States Reorganisation Act inaugurated a new state, Kerala, incorporating Travancore-Cochin, the Malabar District and the taluk of Kasargod, South Kanara.
Earlier, in 1946, the first popular Cabinet of Cochin took office, consisting of Panampilly Govinda Menon, C.R. Iyyunni, K. Ayyappan and T.K. Nair.
The Cochin State Praja Mandal, a political organisation that pressed for responsible government, took shape on 26 January 1941 under the leadership of V. R. Krishnan Ezhuthachan.
Kerala inaugurated:
1 November 1956, by the States Reorganisation Act
Territories merged:
Travancore-Cochin, Malabar District, and the taluk of Kasargod, South Kanara
First Prime Minister of Cochin:
E. Ikkanda Warrier
First chief minister of Travancore-Cochin:
Parur T. K. Narayana Pillai
Why it matters for exams: The territories merged to form Kerala and the first heads of government of Cochin and Travancore-Cochin are standard Kerala history questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Aikyakerala Aikyakerala — The movement for a single State uniting the Malayalam-speaking regions.
Praja Mandal Praja Mandal — A people's political organisation in a princely state demanding responsible government.
South Kanara South Kanara — A district of the former Madras Presidency from which the Kasargod taluk came to Kerala.
Background
Kozhikode district was the capital of the erstwhile kingdom of the mighty Zamorins and was once a renowned commercial centre.
The city of Calicut, the Anglicized form of Kozhikode, is the headquarters of the district.
The district is 38.25% urban and is bordered by Kannur district to the north, Wayanad to the east and Malappuram to the south, with the Arabian Sea to the west.
It is situated between latitudes 11 degrees 08 minutes N and 11 degrees 50 minutes N and longitudes 75 degrees 30 minutes E and 76 degrees 8 minutes E.
The division of the district into 4 taluks came into effect in 2001: Kozhikode, Vadakara, Koyilandy and Thamarassery.
As per the census of 2011, 12 block panchayats make up the district.
They are Balusseri, Chelannur, Koduvally, Kozhikode, Kunnamangalam, Kunnummal, Melady, Panthalayani, Perambra, Thodannur, Thuneri and Vadakara.
The district administration describes the district as endowed with countrysides, beaches, historic sites, wildlife sanctuaries, rivers and hills.
Taluks:
4, in effect from 2001
Block panchayats:
12
Urban share:
38.25%
Headquarters:
The city of Calicut
Why it matters for exams: Taluk lists, block panchayat counts and the Zamorin connection of Kozhikode recur in Kerala administration and history questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Block panchayat Block panchayat — The middle tier of rural local government in Kerala, between the grama panchayat and the district panchayat.
Calicut Calicut — The Anglicized form of the name Kozhikode.
Background
Kottayam, in central Kerala, is the administrative capital of Kottayam district and is also called Akshara Nagari, the city of letters.
The district is bordered by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and the paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west, which has given it the title the land of letters, legends, latex and lakes.
Kottayam town was the first town in India to achieve 100% literacy, a feat achieved as early as in 1989.
English education in South India started at the Old Seminary at Kottayam in 1813.
The first printing press in Kerala, the CMS Press, was established there in 1821 by Rev. Benjamin Baily.
The first college in the State, CMS College, was started at Kottayam in 1840, and the first printed Malayalam-English and English-Malayalam dictionaries were published from Kottayam in 1846 and 1847 respectively.
The first and only cooperative society of writers, authors and publishers, the SPCS, was set up there in 1945.
Most of India's natural rubber originates from the plantations of Kottayam, which is also home to the Rubber Board.
Kottayam was the first town in India selected by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to be transformed as an Eco City, and the former President K. R. Narayanan hailed from the district.
First town in India with 100% literacy:
Kottayam, in 1989
First printing press in Kerala:
CMS Press, 1821
First college in the State:
CMS College, 1840
Dictionaries published from Kottayam:
1846 and 1847
Why it matters for exams: Kerala's firsts in printing, education and literacy are asked in almost every State-level general knowledge paper.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SPCS Sahitya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society — The cooperative society of writers, authors and publishers set up at Kottayam.
Akshara Nagari Akshara Nagari — A Malayalam name meaning city of letters, used for Kottayam.
Background
Malappuram district, literally the land atop the hills, was formed on the 16th of June 1969.
It is bounded by the Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts in the north and Palakkad and Thrissur districts in the south.
The district has a geographical area of 3550 sq. kms, which is 9.13% of the total area of the State, and ranks 3rd in the State.
Four important rivers of Kerala flow through the district: the Chaliyar, the Kadalundippuzha, the Bharathapuzha and the Tirurpuzha.
The Chaliyar has a length of 169 km, originates from the Illambaleri hills in Tamil Nadu and flows into the sea at Beypore in Kozhikode district.
The Kadalundippuzha is formed by the confluence of the Olipuzha and the Veliyar and has a course of 130 km, reaching the sea at Kadalundi Nagaram; the Tirurpuzha is 48 km long and rises in the Athavanad hills in Tirur taluk.
Of these rivers only the Chaliyar is perennial, which is why the district is prone to drought.
The district has a total forest area of 758.8684 sq km, of which 325.3261 sq km is reserve forest and 433.5423 sq km vested forest, protected by the Nilambur North and Nilambur South divisions.
Malappuram was the military headquarters of the Zamorins of Kozhikode and was home to the Khilafath movement and the Mappila revolts.
District formed:
16 June 1969
Geographical area:
3550 sq. kms
Share of the State's area:
9.13%
Length of the Chaliyar:
169 KMs
Total forest area:
758.8684 Square km
Why it matters for exams: River sources and lengths, district formation dates and area shares are repeatedly asked in the Kerala geography section.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Perennial river Perennial river — A river that carries water through the whole year instead of drying up in summer.
Vested forest Vested forest — Private forest land that vested in the State government under Kerala's private forests legislation.
Zamorin Zamorin — The title of the ruler of Kozhikode in medieval Kerala.
Background
Palakkad is one of the fourteen districts of Kerala and has no coastal line.
The district opens the State to the rest of the country through the Palakkad Gap, with a width of 32 to 40 km.
The present Palakkad district was formed as an administrative unit on the first of January 1957, comprising Palakad, Perinthalmanna, Ponnani, Ottapalam, Alathur and Chittur.
When Malappuram district was formed, parts of Palakkad were transferred to it and a new taluk, Mannarkkad, was formed.
In 2013 Ottapalam taluk was bifurcated and Pattambi taluk was formed.
The district now has 2 revenue divisions, 6 taluks and 157 revenue villages, with 7 municipalities, 13 block panchayats and 88 village panchayats.
The district headquarters is at Palakkad Town and the Collectorate is in the Civil Station there.
The district is one of the main granaries of Kerala, its economy is primarily agricultural and it is also called the land of Palmyrahs.
The first District Collector of the district was Sri K. C. Sankaranarayanan IAS.
Formed as an administrative unit:
1 January 1957
Width of the Palakkad Gap:
32 to 40 km
Taluks:
6
Village panchayats:
88
Revenue villages:
157
Why it matters for exams: District formation dates, taluk and local body counts and the Palakkad Gap are standard Kerala geography questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Taluk Taluk — A revenue subdivision of a district headed by a Tahsildar.
Revenue village Revenue village — The smallest unit of land records administration in a district.
Background
Four Austrian properties carry state of conservation reports dated 2026, which is what brings the country's World Heritage record into view this week: the Historic Centre of Vienna, the Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg, the Fertoe / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape and the Frontiers of the Roman Empire - The Danube Limes (Western Segment).
Austria has 12 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, 11 of them cultural and one natural.
Austria ratified the World Heritage Convention on 18 December 1992.
The cultural properties include the Historic Centre of Vienna (2001), the Palace and Gardens of Schoenbrunn (1996), the Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg (1996), the Semmering Railway (1998) and the Wachau Cultural Landscape (2000).
The single natural property is the Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, a site shared across several countries.
Austria also keeps two sites on its Tentative List, the inventory of properties a State Party intends to consider for nomination.
Properties inscribed:
12
Cultural properties:
11
Natural properties:
1
Convention ratified:
18 December 1992
Sites on the Tentative List:
2
Why it matters for exams: Country-focus papers ask how many World Heritage sites a country holds and which of them is the natural one, and Austria's list is a standard example of a mostly cultural inscription record.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
State Party State Party to the World Heritage Convention — A country that has ratified the World Heritage Convention and can therefore nominate sites.
Tentative List Tentative List — A country's own inventory of sites it intends to consider nominating later.
Limes Limes — The Latin word for the fortified frontier of the Roman Empire.
2 October 2026
The Kasaragod Weaving Cooperative Production and Marketing Society, an 88-year-old institution, now has only 30 weavers.
Until 1990 the society had around 500 weavers working 500 looms, with more than double that number engaged indirectly in ancillary work.
The Kasaragod Saree received its Geographical Indication tag in 2010 and is the only product from the district to have received one.
The society is operating at a loss of nearly ₹1.75 crore and pays 11.75 per cent interest on a ₹70 lakh loan taken from Kerala Bank, with a monthly interest liability of ₹60,000 to ₹65,000.
Its turnover fell from ₹85 lakh in 2015-16 to ₹60 lakh last year, and the turnover during the last Onam season was ₹12 lakh.
When the society called for weaving training this year to recruit 30 new weavers, only 10 responded and only 4 are still employed.
The society is yet to receive about ₹3 lakh from the government for fabric woven under the free school uniform scheme, under which the weaving rate was set at ₹57 per metre.
A ₹2 crore development project included in the Kasaragod Development Package could not be implemented because the society had to contribute 60 per cent of the funds.
GI tag year:
2010
Weavers now:
30
Weavers until 1990:
around 500
Accumulated loss:
nearly ₹1.75 crore
Turnover last year:
₹60 lakh
Why it matters for exams: The year of the Kasaragod Saree's GI tag and the fact that it is the district's only GI product are directly askable Kerala PSC facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
GI tag Geographical Indication tag — A mark that ties a product to the place whose qualities or reputation it owes its character to.
Kasavu Kasavu (zari) — The golden thread border characteristic of Kerala handloom.
2 October 2026
The Ministry of Culture announced that the eighth edition of PM Mementos, the e-auction of gifts and artefacts presented to the Prime Minister, is live and has been extended until 31 October 2026.
This edition showcases 30 mementos from Delhi.
The collection comprises nine photo frames, nine mementos, six idols, sculptures and statues, two Delhi Metro models, one item of sports memorabilia and one painting, along with art and craft items.
Bidding is through the portal pmmementos.gov.in.
The proceeds from the auction will go to the Namami Gange Project.
Edition:
8th edition of PM Mementos
Mementos on offer:
30, from Delhi
Extended until:
31 October 2026
Portal:
pmmementos.gov.in
Proceeds to:
Namami Gange Project
Why it matters for exams: Examiners like the link between the PM Mementos auction and the Namami Gange Project, and the portal that runs it.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Namami Gange Namami Gange Programme — The Union government's flagship mission to clean and conserve the river Ganga.
E-auction Electronic auction — An auction conducted entirely online, with bids placed through a web portal.
Background
Ghatal, where West Bengal's flood control master plan is to be executed, lies in Paschim Medinipur district. The district was founded on 1 January 2002 after the partition of Midnapore into Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur. It is the second-largest district in West Bengal, covering 9,295.28 sq km. Its rural population is about 4.58 million. Its tribal share of population, 14.87 per cent, is the fourth highest in the state. The district has about 8,694 villages, the most of any district in West Bengal, of which 7,600 are populated and 1,094 uninhabited.
Founded:
1 January 2002
Area:
9,295.28 sq km
Rank by area:
Second-largest in West Bengal
Villages:
8,694 (7,600 populated, 1,094 uninhabited)
Tribal share of population:
14.87%
Why it matters for exams: The 2002 split of Midnapore into two districts, and the area and village counts that followed, are asked in state geography and administration questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Uninhabited village Uninhabited village — A revenue village recorded in the census that had no resident population on census day.
Background
Buxa Tiger Reserve, where a tigress was released this week, lies in Alipurduar district. Alipurduar was established on 25 June 2014 as West Bengal's twentieth district, carved out of Jalpaiguri district, and its headquarters is at Alipurduar. The district has two municipalities, Alipurduar and Falakata, and six community development blocks: Madarihat-Birpara, Alipurduar-I, Alipurduar-II, Falakata, Kalchini and Kumargram. It contains 64 gram panchayats and nine census towns. It is a landlocked district bounded by Jalpaiguri on the west, Assam on the east and Cooch Behar on the south, and it shares an international border with Bhutan to the north. Its rivers include the Torsa, Raidak, Kaljani, Sankosh, Jayanti, Dima, Mujnai and Gadadhar.
Formed:
25 June 2014
Carved out of:
Jalpaiguri district
Rank among districts:
West Bengal's 20th district
Blocks:
6
Gram panchayats:
64
Why it matters for exams: District formation dates, parent districts and international borders are a fixed part of state geography papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Census town Census town — A settlement that meets the census definition of urban but has no municipality of its own.
Gram panchayat Gram panchayat — The elected village-level unit of local self-government in rural India.