UPSC Prelims 2026Question 77Environment

Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience), a platform of institutions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is/are correct ?
1. Ecosystem Survey and Analysis is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
2. Research and Management of Ecosystem Service is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi.
3. Capacity Development Support is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal.
Select the answer using the code given below:

Options

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

Correct answer: b

Decision rule

Match each vertical to the institute whose name states that mandate - survey to a Survey, capacity building to a management institute; regulators never lead research.

Explanation

Correct Answer

(b) 1 and 3 only

Explanation of the Correct Answer

The correct status of the three statements is:

Statement	Verdict	Reason
1. Ecosystem Survey and Analysis is a vertical under NIRANTAR, led by Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.	Correct	The official NIRANTAR portal states that the lead institute of this vertical is Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
2. Research and Management of Ecosystem Service is led by Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi.	Incorrect	This vertical is led by ICFRE, Dehradun, not Central Zoo Authority.
3. Capacity Development Support is led by Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal.	Correct	The official NIRANTAR portal states that this vertical is led by IIFM, Bhopal.

Thus, statements 1 and 3 are correct, while statement 2 is incorrect. Hence, the correct answer is (b) 1 and 3 only.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option	Combination	Verdict	Explanation
(a)	1, 2 and 3	Incorrect	Statement 2 is incorrect because Research and Management of Ecosystem Service is led by ICFRE, Dehradun, not CZA, New Delhi.
(b)	1 and 3 only	Correct	Statements 1 and 3 are correctly matched.
(c)	2 only	Incorrect	Statement 2 is incorrect.
(d)	3 only	Incorrect	Statement 3 is correct, but Statement 1 is also correct.

Relevant Supplementary Information

NIRANTAR Verticals and Lead Institutes

Vertical under NIRANTAR	Lead Institute	Location	Broad Mandate
Ecosystem Survey & Analysis	Botanical Survey of India	Kolkata	Survey, assessment and analytics on forests, flora, fauna and other natural resources
Research and Management of Ecosystem Service	Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education	Dehradun	Research and scientific management of ecosystems for ecological stability and sustainable development
Capacity Development Support	Indian Institute of Forest Management	Bhopal	Capacity building in forest management, ecosystem services, climate change mitigation and nature-based solutions
Climate Change Support	Not asked in the question	Not asked	Supports climate-related coordination and research under the platform

NIRANTAR Vertical	Lead Institute	Location	Broad Mandate / Focus Area
Ecosystem Survey and Analysis	Botanical Survey of India	Kolkata	Survey, analysis and assessment of biodiversity, ecosystems and natural resources
Research and Management of Ecosystem Service	Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education	Dehradun	Research and scientific management of ecosystems for ecological stability, sustainable development and green growth
Capacity Development Support	Indian Institute of Forest Management	Bhopal	Capacity building, professional training and institutional support in forestry and environmental sectors
Climate Change Support	National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management	Chennai	Climate change support, coastal management, blue economy, Himalayan ecosystems and climate missions

The official NIRANTAR portal identifies ICFRE, Dehradun as the lead institute for Research and Management of Ecosystem Service, IIFM, Bhopal as the lead institute for Capacity Development Support, and NCSCM as the lead institute for Climate Change Support.

Key Takeaways from the Table

Ecosystem Survey & Analysis = BSI, Kolkata
Research and Management of Ecosystem Service = ICFRE, Dehradun
Capacity Development Support = IIFM, Bhopal
Central Zoo Authority is not the lead institute for Research and Management of Ecosystem Service.
NIRANTAR is a coordination platform, not a new standalone institution.

Context and Current Relevance

NIRANTAR is a platform under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to improve coordination among its institutions.
It aims to reduce duplication, improve research use, and strengthen evidence-based environmental decision-making.
It is relevant for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management, climate resilience and sustainable use of natural resources.

NIRANTAR is a MoEFCC platform created to improve coordination among environmental, forestry, wildlife and natural resource institutions.
It promotes a whole-of-government approach for natural resource research, capacity building and climate resilience. (pib.gov.in)
It is relevant for biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, ecosystem services and evidence-based environmental policy.

Table: Important Institutions under MoEFCC

Institution	Full Form	Location / Headquarters	Core Area
BSI	Botanical Survey of India	Kolkata	Plant taxonomy, floristic surveys and botanical research
ZSI	Zoological Survey of India	Kolkata	Faunal surveys, taxonomy and zoological research
FSI	Forest Survey of India	Dehradun	Forest cover assessment and forest resource monitoring
ICFRE	Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education	Dehradun	Forestry research, education and extension
IIFM	Indian Institute of Forest Management	Bhopal	Forest management education, research and capacity building
WII	Wildlife Institute of India	Dehradun	Wildlife research, conservation training and ecological studies
NCSCM	National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management	Chennai	Coastal management, blue economy and climate-related research
CZA	Central Zoo Authority	New Delhi	Regulation and oversight of zoos in India
CPCB	Central Pollution Control Board	Delhi	Pollution monitoring, regulation and environmental standards

Table: Commonly Confused MoEFCC Institutions

Institution	Do Not Confuse With	Difference
BSI	ZSI	BSI deals with plants; ZSI deals with animals.
FSI	ICFRE	FSI assesses forest cover; ICFRE conducts forestry research.
IIFM	ICFRE	IIFM focuses on management and capacity building; ICFRE focuses on forestry research.
CZA	WII	CZA regulates zoos; WII conducts wildlife research and training.
NCSCM	CPCB	NCSCM focuses on coastal and climate-related management; CPCB focuses on pollution control.

Key Takeaways from the Tables

Point	Explanation
Ecosystem Survey and Analysis = BSI, Kolkata	This was one of the correct statements in the question.
Research and Management of Ecosystem Service = ICFRE, Dehradun	This makes Statement 2 incorrect, because it wrongly mentioned CZA.
Capacity Development Support = IIFM, Bhopal	This was another correct statement in the question.
Climate Change Support = NCSCM, Chennai	Useful additional fact for similar NIRANTAR questions.
CZA is not a NIRANTAR vertical lead for ecosystem services	CZA’s primary role is regulation and oversight of zoos.

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