The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI): Conserving India’s Heritage

The ASI is India’s main government body for archaeology and for looking after old monuments. Archaeology is the study of the past through things people left behind, such as buildings, tools and coins.

The ASI works under the Ministry of Culture. It explores, digs, repairs and looks after monuments and sites of national importance.

What does “national importance” mean?

It is a legal label. A monument with this label is protected by the Central Government. As of March 2026, the ASI looked after 3,686 such monuments.

Think of the Taj Mahal or the Sanchi Stupa. Both are protected by the ASI, so the ASI looks after their upkeep.

Does the ASI protect every old building?

No. That is a common mistake. Many old buildings are protected by state governments, not the ASI. You will see this split again in card 4.

The ASI grew out of the work of Alexander Cunningham. He was made the first Archaeological Surveyor in December 1861. That is why 1861 is taken as the ASI’s starting year.

What came before 1861?

People had begun to study India’s past much earlier.

• 1784: William Jones formed the Asiatic Society in Calcutta on 15 January 1784.
• 1810: the Bengal Regulation XIX of 1810 was the first legal attempt to protect monuments at risk.

What did Cunningham do first?

Cunningham proposed a survey of northern India. Lord Canning sanctioned the plan. Between 1861 and 1865, Cunningham surveyed land from Gaya in the east to the Indus in the northwest.

His surveys led to big finds. These included the great stupa of Bharhut. They also identified the ancient cities of Sankisa, Sravasti and Kausambi.

Did the Survey run without a break?

No. Lord Lawrence abolished the Survey in 1866. Meanwhile, Act XX of 1863 let the government stop damage to buildings of historical value.

The Survey was revived as a separate department. Cunningham took charge as Director General in February 1871.

So be careful with the phrase “first Director General in 1861”. In 1861 Cunningham was the Archaeological Surveyor. He became Director General in 1871.

In 1902, Lord Curzon made the ASI a new department with three branches. He appointed John Marshall as its third Director General.

What were the three branches?

• Conservation of Monuments: repairing and caring for old buildings.
• Exploration and Research: finding and studying ancient sites.
• Epigraphy and Numismatics: reading old inscriptions and studying coins.

Why is Marshall remembered?

Marshall’s arrival began a new, busy phase for the ASI.

In the first two decades of the 1900s, the ASI dug at sites such as Nalanda, Sanchi and Sravasti. Scholars study Marshall’s work between 1902 and 1928.

What law came next?

The Ancient Monuments Preservation Act was passed in 1904. It gave the government power to protect old monuments and control the trade in antiquities.

The main law is the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958. It lets the ASI protect and maintain monuments and sites of national importance.

What does the Constitution say?

Three parts of the Constitution support this work.

• Article 49: the State must protect monuments and places of artistic or historic interest declared to be of national importance.
• Union List, Entry 67: monuments of national importance are the Centre’s job.
• State List, Entry 12: monuments not declared of national importance are the states’ job.

Article 51A(f) adds a duty for every citizen. It asks us to value and preserve India’s composite culture.

Does the ASI take over the monument?

No. Under Sections 3 and 4 of the AMASR Act, the ASI declares a monument of national importance without changing who owns it.

Some protected land belongs to the government. Some is held by endowments or private parties. Under Section 6, the ASI can also protect a monument by agreement with its owner.

They are two safety rings. A Prohibited Area runs 100 metres around every protected monument. A Regulated Area of 200 metres is also set around it.

What is allowed in each zone?

These rings come from Sections 20A and 20B of the AMASR Act.

• Prohibited Area: the inner ring, closest to the monument.
• Regulated Area: repair or renovation of a building needs prior permission.

Can the rules differ from site to site?

Yes. Section 20E allows Heritage Bye-laws for each protected monument. Bye-laws are local rules made for one site. They balance heritage with the needs of nearby residents.

How do people apply for permission?

They apply online. The National Monuments Authority (NMA) runs a portal called NOAPS. It was launched in 2015.

The ASI conserves monuments, digs at old sites, reads inscriptions and runs museums. Each task needs a different kind of expert.

• Conservation: it repairs and maintains monuments and sites across the country.
• Excavation: it carries out exploration and excavation of archaeological sites.
• Epigraphy: its epigraphy branch studies inscriptions.
• Museums: it runs a network of site museums.

How big is this work?

The ASI’s own chart lists 50 site museums and 7 excavation branches. It also lists an underwater archaeology wing based in Goa.

A site museum sits right next to a monument. It shows the objects found at that very place.

It follows a 2014 national policy that asks for the least possible change. The aim is to keep a monument true to its original form.

What does the 2014 policy say?

The National Policy for Conservation of Ancient Monuments, Archaeological Sites and Remains dates from 2014.

It asks for minimal intervention. That means doing only the repairs that are really needed. It also asks that a monument stay true to its first form. It mixes old skills and materials with new methods.

What tools does the ASI use?

Modern tools help the ASI record a monument in detail.

• LiDAR scanning: laser pulses map a structure’s shape.
• GIS mapping: computer maps link a site to its location.
• Drone surveys: aerial photos show the site from above.
• 3D laser scanning and photogrammetry: these record fine details and changes.

Is there a real example?

Yes, the Kedarnath Temple. After the 2013 disaster in Uttarakhand, the ASI conserved the temple. A team from IIT Chennai helped check its structure and foundation.

How much is spent, and what is recorded?

In 2024-25, spending on conserving monuments was Rs 374 crore.

The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) began in 2007 under the ASI. It builds a national record of heritage. It has documented 11,406 built heritage sites and 12.48 lakh antiquities.

The ASI works through regional offices called Circles. There are around 38 Circles across India.

Each Circle is headed by a Superintending Archaeologist. That officer looks after conservation, site care and inspections in the area.

A Circle works like a district office for monuments. It lets local staff deal with local sites.

The ASI sits within the Ministry of Culture.

Can private companies help?

Yes, but only with visitor facilities. Adopt a Heritage began in 2017 under the Ministry of Tourism. It worked with the Ministry of Culture and the ASI.

It was revamped as Adopt a Heritage 2.0 in 2023. It now uses a CSR framework. CSR means corporate social responsibility, the money companies spend on public good.

Partners are called Monument Mitras. They look after cleanliness, lighting, signs and visitor services. Conservation itself stays with the ASI.

In March 2026, India had 44 World Heritage properties, and the ASI protected 27 of them. The rest were cared for by other bodies.

A World Heritage site is a place UNESCO lists for its value to all humanity.

How were the 44 sites split?

• Cultural: 36 sites.
• Natural: 7 sites.
• Mixed: 1 site.

Who looks after the sites the ASI does not?

Note one tricky case. Among the Hill Forts of Rajasthan, Amber and Gagron are under the state, not the ASI.

People live and build near many protected monuments.

Why is balance hard?

People live and build near many monuments. The safety zones protect the monument. But local Heritage Bye-laws must also allow for development and local jobs.

India’s World Heritage list grew, and official monument counts were updated. Here are the main points, newest first.

Sarnath, July 2026

• 25 July 2026: it was announced that the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
• Where decided: at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan.
• Count: this made Sarnath India’s 45th World Heritage site.
• Background: in August 2025, the Culture Minister told the Lok Sabha that India had sent the Sarnath dossier for the 2025-26 cycle.

Official figures, March and April 2026

• 23 March 2026: a Lok Sabha reply said the ASI maintains 3,686 monuments, including 27 World Heritage properties.
• Next proposal: India has sent the JingkiengJri / Lyu Charai Cultural Landscape for 2026-27.
• 18 April 2026: a government backgrounder repeated the figure of 3,686 protected monuments.

Safety-zone rules, February 2026

A Lok Sabha reply on 9 February 2026 restated the 100-metre and 200-metre zones. It also described the NOAPS portal.

The earlier count, March 2025

• 10 March 2025: a Lok Sabha reply gave 3,698 monuments and sites of national importance.
• Top states: Uttar Pradesh had 743, Karnataka 506 and Tamil Nadu 412.

The 2025 and 2026 figures differ. So always quote the year with the number.

New sites, 2024 and 2025

• 2025: the Maratha Military Landscapes of India were inscribed.
• 2024: the Moidams of the Ahom dynasty in Assam were inscribed.

Both are under ASI protection.

Dates, numbers and owners are the usual traps. Check each one against this list.

1. 1861 vs 1871. Cunningham was Archaeological Surveyor in 1861. His Director General post came in 1871.
2. 3,698 vs 3,686. The first is the March 2025 count. The second is the March 2026 count.
3. 100 m vs 200 m. The Prohibited Area is 100 metres. The Regulated Area is 200 metres.
4. Union vs State List. Entry 67 of the Union List covers monuments of national importance. Entry 12 of the State List covers the rest.
5. 27 vs 44. The ASI looked after 27 of India’s 44 World Heritage sites in March 2026.
6. Mahabodhi. Its own Temple Management Committee manages it, not the ASI.