Adarsh Smarak Yojana
Art & Culture › Miscellaneous · Topic 11.19
Adarsh Smarak Yojana is an initiative of the Archaeological Survey of India under the Ministry of Culture to give basic and advanced visitor amenities at 100 selected centrally protected monuments, which are called Adarsh Smarak or model monuments. The first 25 were launched on 26 December 2014. Facilities include drinking water, toilets, ramps, wheelchairs, Braille signage, Wi-Fi, cloak rooms, cafeterias, lighting and information boards. Parliament has described it as a programme of identification and upgrade of amenities rather than a separate scheme with its own budget head. Its status should be checked as of November 2026.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Miscellaneous
At a Glance
- Agency Archaeological Survey of India
- Ministry Culture
- Number identified 100 monuments
- First batch 25 sites, December 2014
- Aim Visitor amenities and access
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Miscellaneous
Where Does It Fit?
This topic belongs to the set of schemes of the culture and tourism ministries in the miscellaneous macro. It is the ground-level counterpart to national policy, focusing on how visitors actually experience a protected monument. Previous topic: PRASAD Scheme. Next topic: Sanskriti App.
What Facilities Does the Programme Seek to Provide?
| Type | Amenities |
|---|---|
| Basic | Drinking water, toilets, benches, signage, parking, dustbins and first-aid |
| Access | Ramps, wheelchairs, accessible toilets and Braille or tactile information for the visually impaired |
| Information | Interpretation boards, brochures, maps, audio guides and QR codes |
| Convenience | Cloak rooms, cafeteria, souvenir shop and Wi-Fi |
| Safety | Lighting, CCTV, fencing and trained guides |
| Cleanliness | Waste collection and a ban on single use plastic within the protected area |
How Does It Connect With Other Heritage Efforts?
- Adopt a Heritage: launched on World Tourism Day, 27 September 2017, as Apni Dharohar Apni Pehchaan, it invites companies and individuals as Monument Mitras to develop amenities at selected sites
- Partners: the project is run jointly by the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture and ASI
- Swachh Paryatan app: a citizen app of the Ministry of Tourism, launched in 2016, lets visitors report garbage at monuments
- Polythene free zones: ASI protected monuments were declared polythene free in 2016
- Cleanliness ranking: ASI ranked the model monuments on cleanliness, and Rani ki Vav in Gujarat was reported cleanest
- Role of ASI: ASI is the premier body for archaeological research and protection of monuments, set up in 1861 under Alexander Cunningham
- Legal base: monuments are protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958
What Else Should You Remember?
- Meaning: Adarsh means model or ideal, and Smarak means monument
- Selection: monuments with high footfall or high tourism potential were picked, many of them ticketed sites and World Heritage Sites
- Implementation: ASI circles carry out the works, with funds from its conservation and development heads
- Scale of protection: ASI looks after more than 3,600 centrally protected monuments and sites. The exact number changes with new declarations
- State monuments: monuments protected by states are managed by state archaeology departments and are outside this programme
- Link to heritage: larger national efforts are covered in National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities
- Link to tourism: visitor numbers at ticketed sites are tracked by ASI each year, and the Taj Mahal is usually the most visited
- Link to circuits: links with tourism development are described in SWADESH DARSHAN
- Link to cleanliness: the sanitation push is described in Swachh Bharat Swachh Smarak/Paryatan
- Link to the Mission: Gandhian sites have their own plan, as in Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission
- Technology: QR code tickets, digital payment and virtual tours are now common at many ticketed sites
- Prohibited area: the 1958 Act creates a prohibited zone of 100 metres around a protected monument where construction is barred, and a regulated zone of a further 200 metres where building needs permission
- Inclusive tourism: ramps, tactile paths and accessible toilets matter because many heritage sites have steps, uneven floors and narrow passages that exclude elderly and disabled visitors
- Limits: limits include staff shortage, encroachment near monuments, poor upkeep of facilities and conflicts between conservation rules and new construction
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Agency: ASI under the Ministry of Culture
- Number: 100 monuments identified, 25 in the first batch
- Adopt a Heritage: Monument Mitra, launched 2017
- Statement questions: which ministry, which Act, which year
- Common errors: confusing it with a scheme of the Tourism ministry, or with the Heritage city scheme
As an analytical point, visitor amenities at monuments must be designed so that they do not damage the fabric of the site. Accessibility, cleanliness and interpretation improve the visitor experience, while strict conservation norms keep the monument authentic.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- ASI Agency and legal base
- Programmes Adarsh Smarak and Adopt a Heritage
- Mains Conservation and access
What Came Next?
The next topic covers a digital outreach app of the cultural sector. Next topic: Sanskriti App.
Key People and Terms
- Adarsh Smarak Model monument
- ASI Archaeological Survey of India
- Monument Mitra Adopter of a monument amenity
- AMASR Act 1958 law for protected monuments
- Polythene free zone No plastic in protected area
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Agency: ASI, under the Ministry of Culture.
- 100 monuments identified; 25 launched on 26 December 2014.
- Adopt a Heritage: 27 September 2017, Monument Mitra.
- ASI founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham.
- Not a Tourism ministry scheme; status to be checked as of November 2026.
Do Not Confuse With
- Adarsh Smarak and Adopt a Heritage Government amenities programme versus private adoption model
- ASI and INTACH Statutory government body versus a non-profit trust
- Adarsh Smarak and Swachh Paryatan Amenities for monuments versus a cleanliness reporting app
Memory Hook
Model monuments get model facilities: a hundred picked, twenty five first.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about heritage governance and how to balance access with conservation. These points give a balanced frame.
- Access Amenities and inclusion
- Conservation Fabric first, tourism second
- Partnership Private adopters and ASI
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Examine how visitor amenities and private participation can improve the management of protected monuments in India without harming their authenticity.”
How to Answer
- Introduce Name the programmes and the agency.
- Benefits Access, funds, awareness.
- Risks Commercialisation, damage to fabric.
- Way Clear norms, audits, community role.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Adarsh Smarak Yojana?
Adarsh Smarak Yojana is an Archaeological Survey of India programme to provide basic and advanced amenities at 100 selected protected monuments, called Adarsh Smarak. The first 25 were launched in December 2014. Parliament has described it as identification and upgrade of amenities rather than a stand-alone scheme.
How many Adarsh Smarak monuments are there?
The Ministry of Culture identified 100 monuments as Adarsh Smarak, with the first 25 launched on 26 December 2014. Facilities include drinking water, toilets, ramps, Braille signage, Wi-Fi, cloak rooms and information boards. Present progress should be checked in the latest ministry reply.
Which body implements the Adarsh Smarak programme?
The Archaeological Survey of India, under the Ministry of Culture, carries it out through its circles. ASI was founded in 1861 under Alexander Cunningham and protects more than 3,600 monuments and sites of national importance under the 1958 Act, according to ministry figures.
What is the Adopt a Heritage project?
Adopt a Heritage, named Apni Dharohar Apni Pehchaan, was launched on 27 September 2017 by the Ministries of Tourism and Culture with ASI. Private companies and individuals, called Monument Mitras, take up visitor amenities at selected sites. It is separate from the Adarsh Smarak programme.
Which Act protects centrally protected monuments in India?
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, with its 2010 amendment, protects monuments of national importance. It sets prohibited and regulated zones around a monument, controls construction nearby and gives ASI the power to preserve and manage the protected sites.
What is the latest status of Adarsh Smarak Yojana?
As of November 2026 the programme continues as an ASI effort to upgrade amenities at 100 identified model monuments, with 25 launched in December 2014. Parliament has said it is not a separate scheme, and no fresh completion count was confirmed, so hedge and check recent ministry replies.
Why is Adarsh Smarak Yojana important for UPSC?
Adarsh Smarak is important for UPSC because it tests knowledge of ASI, the 1958 monuments Act and visitor management, and it links with Adopt a Heritage and Swachh Paryatan. Mains questions ask how to balance tourism access, private participation and conservation at protected monuments.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Adarsh Smarak monuments are managed by the Archaeological Survey of India.
ASI works under the Ministry of Culture.
2 The first batch of Adarsh Smarak monuments had 25 sites.
Launched on 26 December 2014.
3 Adopt a Heritage is a programme of the Ministry of Education.
It was launched by the Tourism and Culture ministries with ASI.
4 ASI was established in 1861.
Under Alexander Cunningham.
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