Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Environment and Ecology)
2 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies (Environment and Ecology). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–2 of 2 questions
UPSC 2022Environment and Ecology · Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies
Q1. Which one of the following has been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?
Explanation
Central Ground Water Authority has been constituted under Section 3 (3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control development and management of groundwater resources in the country. Central Ground Water Authority takes care of regulation and control, management and development of groundwater in the country and issues necessary regulatory directions for the purpose. Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 was enacted in the aftermath of Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984) for protecting, improving environment & reducing pollution. The Act authorises the central government to control & reduce pollution from all sources. It also provides procedures for setting standards of emission or discharge of environmental pollutants.
Additional insight:
Organization Affiliated Ministry/Department Key Responsibilities Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Devel-opment & Ganga Rejuvenation Management, exploration, monitoring, assessment, augmentation, and regulation of groundwater resources in India. National Water Development Agency (NWDA) Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Devel-opment & Ganga Rejuvenation Conducts water balance and feasibility studies, prepares reports for river interlinking projects, and supports the National Perspective Plan (NPP) for water resource development. Central Water Com-mission (CWC) Ministry of Jal Shakti Technical organization responsible for water resource planning, flood forecasting, inter-state river disputes resolution, and dam safety.
UPSC 2022Environment and Ecology · Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies
Q2. With reference to Indian laws about wildlife protection, consider the following statements: 1. Wild animals are the sole property of the government. 2. When a wild animal is declared protected, such animal is entitled for equal protection whether it is found in protected areas or outside. 3. Apprehension of a protected wild animal becoming a danger to human life is sufficient ground for its capture or killing. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: As per Section 39 of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, every Wild Animal shall be the property of the State Government, and, where such animal is hunted in a sanctuary or National Park declared by the Central Government, such animal or any animal article, trophy, uncured trophy or meat [derived from such animal, or any vehicle, vessel, weapon, trap or tool used in such hunting] shall be the property of the Central Government.
Statement 2 is correct: The law governing the subject of wild-life, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, provides for equal protection for wild animals irrespective of where they are found. It does not discriminate between wild animals found in protected areas and outside.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Mere apprehension or fear that a wild animal could endanger human life is not a ground for capture or killing. As per Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, only if the wild animal becomes a danger to human life or is deceased or disabled beyond recovery can it be allowed to be captured or killed by the competent authority, (Chief Wildlife Warden of the State).
Exam tip:
For S3, Apprehension" = fear or suspicion, not actual harm. So, even if the animal hasn’t attacked or shown aggression, just fearing it might is being considered enough to kill/capture it. That sounds too extreme and illogical, hence probably false.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2022
(c) Central Ground Water Authority
2
2022
(a) 1 and 2
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies?
This page covers 2 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies (Environment and Ecology), asked from 2011 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies?
Questions on Environmental Laws, Conventions and Policies (Environment and Ecology) are available for 12 years, from 2011 to 2025. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
