Which of the following sites are included in the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites released by UNESCO?

Question

Which of the following sites are included in the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites released by UNESCO?

I. Khangchendzonga National Park

II. Natural Heritage of Varkala

III. Naga Hill Ophiolite

IV. Natural Heritage of Tirumala Hills

V. Meghalaya Age Caves

VI. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

Choose the correct option:

1. A. II, III, IV and VI only
2. B. I, IV, V and VI only
3. C. II, III, IV and V only (Correct answer)
4. D. All of the above

Correct Answer

Option C — C

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Option C.

Key Points

• The UNESCO Tentative List is the inventory of sites a country INTENDS to nominate.
• A site cannot be on the Tentative List once it has already been inscribed on the World Heritage List.
• That is the whole trick here:
• Khangchendzonga National Park (I) is already an INSCRIBED World Heritage Site (2016, mixed category) — so it cannot be on the tentative list.
• Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (VI) is already INSCRIBED (2003, cultural) — likewise excluded.
• Natural Heritage of Varkala (II), Naga Hill Ophiolite (III), Natural Heritage of Tirumala Hills (IV) and Meghalaya Age Caves (V) are on the Tentative List.

Exam Tip

• when a question mixes famous inscribed sites with lesser-known names, the famous ones are usually the distractors — they are already inscribed and therefore off the tentative list.

Additional Information

• The Tentative List is a country's inventory of sites it *intends* to nominate; a property must sit on it for at least a year before a formal nomination can be filed.
• India has 43 inscribed World Heritage Sites and a much longer tentative list, which is why questions distinguish the two so often.
• India's most recent inscriptions include Santiniketan and the Hoysala temples (2023) and Moidams of the Ahom dynasty (2024).