UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Environment Minister inaugurates Centre of Excellence on Human-Wildlife Conflict at WII-SACON, Coimbatore; launches National Human-Wildlife Conflict Portal

Q1. The Centre of Excellence on Human-Wildlife Conflict at WII-SACON, Coimbatore, inaugurated in July 2026, was inaugurated by which one of the following?

  • A. Shri Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • B. Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • C. Shri C. R. Patil, Union Minister of Jal Shakti
  • D. The Director, Wildlife Institute of India

Q2. With reference to the Centre of Excellence on Human-Wildlife Conflict launched in 2026, consider the following animals: 1. Elephant 2. Leopard 3. Tiger (outside tiger reserves) 4. One-horned rhinoceros Which of the above is/are correctly identified as priority conflict species targeted by the Centre?

  1. Elephant
  2. Leopard
  3. Tiger (outside tiger reserves)
  4. One-horned rhinoceros
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. In which year was the National Human-Wildlife Conflict Portal launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change?

  • A. 2023
  • B. 2024
  • C. 2025
  • D. 2026

Q4. Which one of the following best describes the primary purpose of the National Human-Wildlife Conflict Portal launched in 2026?

  • A. A national digital platform for data management, knowledge exchange and analytical/decision support on human-wildlife conflict
  • B. The first-ever real-time GPS collaring system covering every wild elephant in India
  • C. An online single-window portal for granting statutory clearances to projects within protected areas
  • D. A national registry that records ex-gratia compensation claims and settles them automatically

Q5. Both the Wildlife Institute of India and the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History function as autonomous institutions under which one of the following ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • B. Ministry of Science and Technology
  • C. Ministry of Tribal Affairs
  • D. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Q6. Consider the following statements comparing the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON): 1. WII is located at Dehradun, whereas SACON is located near Coimbatore. 2. SACON specialises in ornithology and natural history, whereas WII focuses broadly on wildlife research and training. 3. WII was established in 1990 and SACON in 1982. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. WII is located at Dehradun, whereas SACON is located near Coimbatore.
  2. SACON specialises in ornithology and natural history, whereas WII focuses broadly on wildlife research and training.
  3. WII was established in 1990 and SACON in 1982.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. The establishment of the Centre of Excellence on Human-Wildlife Conflict was announced in 2025 during the 7th meeting of which body, chaired by the Prime Minister?

  • A. National Board for Wildlife
  • B. Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife
  • C. National Tiger Conservation Authority
  • D. Central Zoo Authority

Q8. Consider the following statements about the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) and its Standing Committee: 1. The NBWL is chaired by the Prime Minister, while its Standing Committee is chaired by the Union Environment Minister. 2. The NBWL is constituted under Section 5A of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. 3. Policy-level decisions on wildlife are the preserve of the Standing Committee, whereas the full NBWL merely clears projects within protected areas. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The NBWL is chaired by the Prime Minister, while its Standing Committee is chaired by the Union Environment Minister.
  2. The NBWL is constituted under Section 5A of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
  3. Policy-level decisions on wildlife are the preserve of the Standing Committee, whereas the full NBWL merely clears projects within protected areas.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. Consider the following statements about the 14 guidelines for Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation released by the Union Environment Minister: 1. They were developed under an Indo-German cooperation project implemented with GIZ and select state forest departments. 2. They are statutorily binding on all state forest departments. 3. They include both species-specific guidelines and guidelines for cross-cutting issues such as crowd management. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. They were developed under an Indo-German cooperation project implemented with GIZ and select state forest departments.
  2. They are statutorily binding on all state forest departments.
  3. They include both species-specific guidelines and guidelines for cross-cutting issues such as crowd management.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. The 14 Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation guidelines describe themselves as being 'advisory in nature'. In this context, this most precisely means that the guidelines:

  • A. are recommendatory and meant to facilitate development of site-specific mitigation measures, without being legally binding
  • B. are statutory rules framed and enforceable under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
  • C. apply only to protected areas notified by the Central Government
  • D. are binding directives that override existing state forest department policies

Q11. Wildlife Week 2025, themed 'Human-Wildlife Coexistence', was organised at Dehradun by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change along with which set of institutions?

  • A. Wildlife Institute of India, ICFRE, IGNFA and Forest Research Institute
  • B. Zoological Survey of India, Botanical Survey of India and Bombay Natural History Society
  • C. National Tiger Conservation Authority, Central Zoo Authority and WWF-India
  • D. Indian Institute of Science, National Institute of Oceanography and SACON

Q12. Following the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022, how many Schedules does the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 now contain?

  • A. Four
  • B. Five
  • C. Six
  • D. Three