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Environment & ecology

Prelims · Environment & ecology · 37 questions

Environmental laws, bodies & conventions

Every UPSC Prelims question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Environmental laws, bodies & conventions questions per year: 2016: 4, 2017: 3, 2018: 2, 2019: 6, 2020: 2, 2021: 1, 2022: 2, 2023: 2, 2024: 1, 2025: 1, 2026: 1 Asked in 11 of 11 years · most in 2019 (6)

Practising Environment & ecology? Take it as timed sets of 25 →

UPSC syllabus: “General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization.” Sub-topics in the detailed syllabus →

Prelims 2017 · Q6

X-Ray · Core #37 Medium

‘वाणिज्य में प्राणिजात और वनस्पति-जात के व्यापार-संबंधी विश्लेषण (ट्रेड रिलेटेड ऐनालिसिस ऑफ़ फौना ऐंड फ़्लोरा इन कॉमर्स / TRAFFIC)’ के सन्दर्भ में निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिए :

  1. 1.TRAFFIC, संयुक्त राष्ट्र पर्यावरण कार्यक्रम (UNEP) के अंतर्गत एक ब्यूरो है ।
  2. 2.TRAFFIC का मिशन यह सुनिश्चित करना है कि वन्य पादपों और जन्तुओं के व्यापार से प्रकृति के संरक्षण को ख़तरा न हो ।

उपर्युक्त कथनों में से कौन-सा/से सही है/हैं ?

Read this question in English

Consider the following statements in respect of Trade Related Analysis of Fauna and Flora in Commerce (TRAFFIC):

1. TRAFFIC is a bureau under United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

2. The mission of TRAFFIC is to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only · (b) 2 only · (c) Both 1 and 2 · (d) Neither 1 nor 2

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (b) केवल 2

TRAFFIC is a non-governmental wildlife trade monitoring network founded by IUCN and WWF, not a UN body. Its whole purpose is to keep the trade in wild species from harming their survival, so only statement 2 is right.

  • ✗ 1. TRAFFIC was set up in 1976 by IUCN and WWF, which remain its founders and partners. It describes itself as a non-governmental organisation and has no place in the UNEP structure.
  • ✓ 2. TRAFFIC's own 2017 website stated this as its mission, word for word. It now phrases the same aim as keeping trade in wild species legal and sustainable.

Remember · TRAFFIC = NGO wildlife-trade monitoring network, founded 1976 by IUCN and WWF; works closely with CITES but is not a UN or UNEP body.

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q35

X-Ray · Core #10 Medium

वन्यजीव (सुरक्षा) अधिनियम, 1972 के अनुसार, किसी व्यक्ति द्वारा, विधि द्वारा किए गए कतिपय उपबंधों के अधीन होने के सिवाय, निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा/से प्राणी का शिकार नहीं किया जा सकता ?

  1. 1.घड़ियाल
  2. 2.भारतीय जंगली गधा
  3. 3.जंगली भैंस

नीचे दिए गए कूट का प्रयोग कर सही उत्तर चुनिए :

Read this question in English

According to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which of the following animals cannot be hunted by any person except under some provisions provided by law?

1. Gharial

2. Indian wild ass

3. Wild buffalo

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only · (b) 2 and 3 only · (c) 1 and 3 only · (d) 1, 2 and 3

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (d) 1, 2 और 3

All three are listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which gives the highest protection. Hunting them is banned except in the two cases the Act itself allows: a Chief Wild Life Warden's order under Section 11, or a special permit under Section 12.

  • ✓ 1. The Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a crocodilian listed in Schedule I, Part C (Reptiles).
  • ✓ 2. The Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus) is listed in Schedule I, Part A (Mammals), under wild asses.
  • ✓ 3. The wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee) is listed in Schedule I, Part A (Mammals), under wild cattle.
  • • Since then The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 cut the schedules from six to four and rewrote Section 9 to ban hunting of Schedule I and II animals. All three animals remain in Schedule I, so the answer is unchanged.

Remember · Schedule I species get absolute protection: hunting is allowed only under Section 11 (animal dangerous or beyond recovery) or Section 12 (special permits, such as research). Gharial, wild buffalo and wild ass are all Schedule I.

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q91

X-Ray · Core #10 Easy

भारत में, यदि कछुए की एक जाति को वन्यजीव (संरक्षण) अधिनियम, 1972 की अनुसूची I के अन्तर्गत संरक्षित घोषित किया गया हो, तो इसका निहितार्थ क्या है ?

Read this question in English

In India, if a species of tortoise is declared protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, what does it imply?

(a) It enjoys the same level of protection as the tiger. · (b) It no longer exists in the wild, a few individuals are under captive protection; and now it is impossible to prevent its extinction. · (c) It is endemic to a particular region of India. · (d) Both (b) and (c) stated above are correct in this context.

उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English

Answer: (a) इसे संरक्षण का वही स्तर प्राप्त है जैसा कि बाघ को ।

Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 gives a species the highest degree of protection, the same level as the tiger. Listing says nothing about the species being extinct in the wild or being confined to one region.

  • ✓ (a) Tiger and other rare and endangered species are in Schedule I, which gives the highest degree of protection. A tortoise placed in the same Schedule gets that same top-level protection.
  • ✗ (b) Schedule I is a legal category of protection for rare and endangered species that still live in the wild. It is not a statement that a species has disappeared from the wild or that extinction cannot be stopped.
  • ✗ (c) Being endemic to one region is not the test for Schedule I. The Schedule lists rare and endangered species from many parts of the country, and the protection is the same wherever they live.
  • ✗ (d) Both (b) and (c) are wrong, so (d) fails.

Remember · Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 = highest legal protection, the same tier as the tiger. It does not mean 'extinct in the wild' or 'endemic'.

Sources

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

The Syllabus X-Ray of this topic

2 of its 5 sub-topics are Core

2 Core · 1 High · 1 Steady · 1 Rare

  • Core #10Environmental laws of India · 12 questions
  • Core #37Global environmental bodies & initiatives · 7 questions
  • HighEnvironmental bodies & institutions · 5 questions

The X-Ray ranks all 928 sub-topics of the UPSC syllabus by what UPSC has asked since 2016. The 60 Prelims Core sub-topics are behind 51% of Prelims questions.

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