This set covers the main environmental laws of India and the bodies created under them. UPSC Prelims frequently asks which law created which institution, the constitutional basis of these laws and the key features of recent amendments.
How to practise: read each question and tap the option you think is correct. You will see right away whether you got it, along with a short explanation, and your score is tracked at the bottom of the screen. This set has 15 questions.
Topics covered in this set
- Constitutional provisions on environment
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and its schedules
- Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and EIA
- Forest laws and compensatory afforestation
- National Green Tribunal and CPCB
- Biological Diversity Act, 2002
UPSC Environment MCQs with answers and explanations
Q1. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment of 1976 moved 'forests' and 'protection of wild animals and birds' from the State List to:
a) The Union List
b) The Concurrent List
c) The Ninth Schedule
d) The Eleventh Schedule
Q2. Which Article of the Constitution makes it a fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment?
a) Article 48A
b) Article 21
c) Article 51A(g)
d) Article 253
Q3. After the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022, which schedule of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 lists specimens covered under the CITES appendices?
a) Schedule I
b) Schedule II
c) Schedule III
d) Schedule IV
Q4. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 was enacted by Parliament under which Article of the Constitution?
a) Article 253
b) Article 48A
c) Article 249
d) Article 368
Q5. The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 was issued under:
a) The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
b) The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
c) The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
d) The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
Q6. Which of the following is a key requirement of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980?
a) Prior approval of the Central Government for using forest land for non-forest purposes
b) Mandatory planting of trees by every household
c) Ban on all tribal settlement in forests
d) Transfer of all forests to state governments
Q7. Which of the following Acts is not listed in Schedule I of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010?
a) The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
b) The Biological Diversity Act, 2002
c) The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
d) The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
Q8. Which of the following statements about the National Green Tribunal is correct?
a) It is bound by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
b) It is guided by the principles of natural justice
c) It is a constitutional body under Article 323B
d) Its decisions cannot be appealed in any court
Q9. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) was first constituted under:
a) The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
b) The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
c) The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010
d) The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
Q10. The National Biodiversity Authority, set up under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, is headquartered in:
a) Chennai
b) New Delhi
c) Dehradun
d) Kolkata
Q11. Under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, People's Biodiversity Registers are prepared mainly by:
a) State Pollution Control Boards
b) Biodiversity Management Committees
c) The Zoological Survey of India
d) District Collectors
Q12. Under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which body is authorised to initiate the process of determining individual and community forest rights?
a) The State Forest Department
b) The District Magistrate alone
c) The National Tiger Conservation Authority
d) The Gram Sabha
Q13. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body constituted under:
a) The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
b) The Biological Diversity Act, 2002
c) The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006
d) The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
Q14. The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 mainly provides for:
a) Funding of urban parks by municipalities
b) Compensation to farmers for crop loss due to wildlife
c) Grants for private tree plantations abroad
d) Management of money collected from users of diverted forest land for afforestation and related work
Q15. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 were notified under which law?
a) The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
b) The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
c) The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
d) The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
Quick revision notes
- The 42nd Amendment (1976) added Article 48A and Article 51A(g) and moved forests and wildlife to the Concurrent List.
- After the 2022 amendment, the Wildlife (Protection) Act has four schedules, with Schedule IV covering CITES specimens.
- The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is an umbrella law enacted under Article 253 after the Bhopal gas tragedy.
- The NGT Act, 2010 lists seven laws in Schedule I, and the Wildlife (Protection) Act is not one of them.
- The CPCB was constituted in 1974 under the Water Act and also works under the Air Act, 1981.
- The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 has a three-tier structure: NBA in Chennai, State Biodiversity Boards and Biodiversity Management Committees.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 called an umbrella law?
It gives the Central Government broad powers to protect the environment and to coordinate the work of authorities under other laws. Many important rules, such as the EIA Notification and waste management rules, are issued under it.
Can the NGT hear cases under the Wildlife (Protection) Act?
No. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 is not listed in Schedule I of the NGT Act, so the tribunal does not have jurisdiction over disputes arising only under it.
What is the difference between a statutory body and a constitutional body?
A statutory body is created by an Act of Parliament or a state legislature, such as the CPCB or NGT. A constitutional body is created directly by the Constitution, such as the Election Commission.
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