UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Nicobarese oppose proposal for three wildlife sanctuaries

Question 1

Under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, to qualify as an 'Other Traditional Forest Dweller', a person (or their predecessors) must have primarily resided in and depended on the forest for bona fide livelihood needs for at least how many generations (each taken as 25 years) prior to 13 December 2005?

Accepted Answer

Three generations

Answer

Two generations

Answer

Four generations

Answer

Five generations

Question 2

Under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which single authority is empowered to initiate the process of determining the nature and extent of individual and community forest rights before it is passed on to higher committees?

Accepted Answer

The Gram Sabha

Answer

The District Level Committee

Answer

The Sub-Divisional Level Committee

Answer

The State Level Monitoring Committee

Question 3

After the Collector publishes the proclamation regarding a proposed sanctuary under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, within how many months must any person claiming a right over the land prefer a written claim before the Collector?

Accepted Answer

Two months

Answer

One month

Answer

Three months

Answer

Six months

Question 4

With reference to the Great Nicobar Island 'Holistic Development' Project, which of the following are correctly identified as its planned components?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1 and 4

Answer

2, 3 and 4

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 5

The Galathea Bay International Container Transhipment Terminal, a component of the Great Nicobar Island project, is planned for a total handling capacity of how many million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units)?

Accepted Answer

16 million TEUs

Answer

4 million TEUs

Answer

8 million TEUs

Answer

20 million TEUs

Question 6

In the context of the Shompen of Great Nicobar, the term 'Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)' is best defined as:

Accepted Answer

A sub-category within the Scheduled Tribes identified on criteria such as pre-agricultural technology, stagnant or declining population, low literacy and a subsistence economy

Answer

A separate constitutional category of tribes that is distinct from, and not part of, the Scheduled Tribes

Answer

Any tribal community that resides exclusively within a notified wildlife sanctuary or national park

Answer

A group recognised only by a State Government and requiring no identification by the Central Government

Question 7

Which Union Ministry is the nodal ministry for the welfare and development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups such as the Shompen and for administering the Forest Rights Act, 2006?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Tribal Affairs

Answer

Ministry of Home Affairs

Answer

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

Answer

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

Question 8

The reef-building corals and the Nicobar megapode of the Great Nicobar region enjoy the highest degree of statutory protection by virtue of being listed under which Schedule of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972?

Accepted Answer

Schedule I

Answer

Schedule II

Answer

Schedule III

Answer

Schedule IV

Question 9

The Nicobar megapode, whose nesting habitat is cited in the Great Nicobar case, is ecologically distinctive because it:

Accepted Answer

Incubates its eggs in large mounds of decomposing leaf litter and vegetation rather than by its own body warmth

Answer

Is a migratory sea bird that nests only on offshore coral cays

Answer

Broods its eggs continuously with body heat like most gallinaceous birds

Answer

Lays its eggs directly in shallow sea water among mangrove roots

Question 10

Among the three wildlife sanctuaries notified in October 2022 as a conservation offset, the one established on Menchal Island was notified as a sanctuary for which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Nicobar megapode

Answer

Leatherback turtle

Answer

Coral reefs

Answer

Dugong

Question 11

In the 2026 Great Nicobar litigation before the Calcutta High Court (Port Blair bench), the Court's ruling on the 'maintainability' of the PILs decided which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Whether the petitions could be entertained at all, given the objection that the petitioner was not a resident of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Answer

Whether the Forest Rights Act had in fact been violated in obtaining tribal consent

Answer

The quantum of compensation payable to displaced Nicobarese families

Answer

Whether the environmental clearance for the project should be cancelled forthwith

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Nicobarese oppose proposal for three wildlife sanctuaries

Q1. Under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, to qualify as an 'Other Traditional Forest Dweller', a person (or their predecessors) must have primarily resided in and depended on the forest for bona fide livelihood needs for at least how many generations (each taken as 25 years) prior to 13 December 2005?

Q2. Under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which single authority is empowered to initiate the process of determining the nature and extent of individual and community forest rights before it is passed on to higher committees?

Q3. After the Collector publishes the proclamation regarding a proposed sanctuary under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, within how many months must any person claiming a right over the land prefer a written claim before the Collector?

Q4. With reference to the Great Nicobar Island 'Holistic Development' Project, which of the following are correctly identified as its planned components?

Q5. The Galathea Bay International Container Transhipment Terminal, a component of the Great Nicobar Island project, is planned for a total handling capacity of how many million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units)?

Q6. In the context of the Shompen of Great Nicobar, the term 'Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)' is best defined as:

Q7. Which Union Ministry is the nodal ministry for the welfare and development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups such as the Shompen and for administering the Forest Rights Act, 2006?

Q8. The reef-building corals and the Nicobar megapode of the Great Nicobar region enjoy the highest degree of statutory protection by virtue of being listed under which Schedule of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972?

Q9. The Nicobar megapode, whose nesting habitat is cited in the Great Nicobar case, is ecologically distinctive because it:

Q10. Among the three wildlife sanctuaries notified in October 2022 as a conservation offset, the one established on Menchal Island was notified as a sanctuary for which of the following?

Q11. In the 2026 Great Nicobar litigation before the Calcutta High Court (Port Blair bench), the Court's ruling on the 'maintainability' of the PILs decided which of the following?