JKSSB EVS MCQs

Explanation

I. Central Zoo Authority (CZA) ✅

• Constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, for oversight and regulation of zoos in India.

II. State Board for Wildlife ✅

• Constituted under Section 5A of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, to advise the state government on wildlife matters.

III. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) ✅

• Established under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, amendment in 2006, specifically for tiger conservation and tiger reserves.

IV. National Coastal Zone Management Authority ❌

• This is not under the Wildlife Protection Act; it is constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, dealing with coastal regulation zones.

✅ Correct answer: I, II and III

Explanation

The correct chronological order of steps in an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) is:

1. Screening (I) – Determine whether a project requires EIA.

2. Scoping (II) – Identify the important environmental issues and the boundaries of the study.

3. Impact Analysis (IV) – Predict and evaluate the potential environmental impacts.

4. EIA Report (III) – Prepare a detailed report including findings, mitigation measures, and recommendations.

5. Review and Public Participation (V) – Review the report by authorities and seek public feedback before approval.

✅ Correct order: I → II → IV → III → V

Explanation

The correct answer is:

C) Short-distance animal migration to higher altitudes to escape extreme heat ✅

• Altitudinal migration refers to the seasonal movement of animals up and down mountains to cope with temperature changes, availability of food, or breeding conditions.

• Unlike long-distance migration, it is short-distance and vertical, not horizontal.

Explanation

I. It is a general term describing a process in which nutrients accumulate in a body of water, resulting in increased growth of organisms. ✅

• Correct. Eutrophication is the enrichment of water bodies with nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus), leading to excessive growth of algae and aquatic plants.

II. It leads to an increase in levels of dissolved oxygen, favoring fish growth. ❌

• Incorrect. While eutrophication initially may boost some oxygen during photosynthesis in daylight, the overall effect is depletion of dissolved oxygen when algae die and decompose. This can cause “dead zones,” harming fish and aquatic life.

Explanation

I. It is a process of digging narrow horizontal tunnels into the hill slopes by extraction workers. ✅

• This is correct. Rat-hole mining is an illegal and dangerous method of coal mining mainly in Meghalaya, where small, narrow tunnels (“rat-holes”) are dug into hills to extract coal.

II. The National Green Tribunal has banned this practice. ✅

• Correct. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) of India has banned rat-hole mining due to its environmental hazards and risk to miners’ lives.

III. Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) caused by this practice is characterized by high pH levels, making the water highly alkaline. ❌

• Incorrect. Acid Mine Drainage occurs when sulfide minerals in coal or rocks react with water and air to produce sulfuric acid. This makes water highly acidic (low pH), not alkaline.

Explanation

• I. Restoration Target: Correct. India has increased its ambition regarding Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). While the initial target was 21 million hectares, it was raised to 26 million hectares of degraded land to be restored by 2030. This aligns with the "Bonn Challenge" and India's commitments to restore ecosystem health.

• II. Governing Convention: Incorrect. The National Action Plan to Combat Desertification is launched under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), not the UNCBD. While both are "Rio Conventions," the UNCCD is the only legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.

• III. Carbon Sink Goal: Correct. This target is part of India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The plan to combat desertification works in tandem with forestry goals to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of $CO_{2}$ equivalent by 2030.

Explanation

Deforestation removes trees and vegetation that play a key role in the hydrological (water) cycle.

• Trees absorb water from the soil and release it into the atmosphere through evapotranspiration (evaporation + plant transpiration).

• When forests are cleared, this process significantly decreases, altering local climate and moisture balance.

Explanation

I. Reduction in interception of rainfall by the tree canopy

Tree canopies intercept rainfall, reducing the direct impact of raindrops on the soil surface.
When trees are removed, rainfall hits the soil directly, loosening soil particles and increasing erosion.

✅ Correct

II. Decrease in the infiltration rate of water into the soil

Vegetation and roots improve soil structure and porosity, allowing more water to infiltrate.
After deforestation, soil becomes compacted and less porous, causing more surface runoff, which leads to erosion.

✅ Correct

III. Increase in evapotranspiration

Deforestation actually reduces evapotranspiration because fewer plants are available to release water vapor.

❌ Incorrect

IV. Loss of soil-binding root networks

Roots bind soil particles together and stabilize slopes. When vegetation is removed, soil becomes loose and easily eroded by water or wind.

✅ Correct

Explanation

• I. Highest Number of Tigers: Incorrect. According to the most recent tiger census data (Status of Tigers 2022 and subsequent updates), Madhya Pradesh holds the title of the "Tiger State" with the highest number of tigers (785). Karnataka follows in second place (563).

• II. Largest Tiger Reserve: Correct. The Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) in Andhra Pradesh remains the largest tiger reserve in India by total area, spanning over 3,000 sq. km.

• III. Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Location: Incorrect. The Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve is located in Chhattisgarh. It was formed by merging the Guru Ghasidas National Park and the Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary to become the state's 4th tiger reserve.

Explanation

The correct answer is D) Himalayan Wolf.

The International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) was launched by the Prime Minister of India in April 2023 to mark the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. The alliance specifically focuses on the conservation of the seven major big cats of the world.

The Seven Big Cats of IBCA

The alliance targets a specific group of apex predators belonging to the Panthera genus and a few others commonly classified as "big cats":

1. Tiger

2. Lion

3. Leopard

4. Snow Leopard (Choice C)

5. Cheetah

6. Jaguar (Choice A)

7. Puma (Choice B)

Explanation

I. International Tiger Day is celebrated every year on 29 July.

Correct.
International Tiger Day is observed annually on 29 July to raise awareness about tiger conservation and the need to protect tiger habitats worldwide. It was established in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit.

✅ Statement I is correct.

II. India is home to more than 70% of the world's wild tiger population.

India currently hosts around 75% of the global wild tiger population, making it the largest tiger-range country.

✅ Statement II is correct.

III. The initial phase of Project Tiger included the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve among 9 tiger reserves.

When Project Tiger was launched in 1973, it started with 9 tiger reserves, and Ranthambore was one of them along with reserves like Corbett, Kanha, Manas, Melghat, Palamau, Similipal, Sundarbans, and Bandipur.

✅ Statement III is correct.

IV. The Prime Minister is the chairman of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

National Tiger Conservation Authority is chaired by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, not the Prime Minister.

❌ Statement IV is incorrect.

Explanation

Critical Wildlife Habitat (CWH)

The concept of Critical Wildlife Habitat is specifically provided under the
Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (commonly called the Forest Rights Act – FRA, 2006).

Under Section 2(b) and Section 4(2) of this Act:

• Critical Wildlife Habitats are areas of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries that must be kept inviolate for wildlife conservation.

• Such areas can be notified only after scientific assessment and consultation with local forest-dwelling communities.

✅ Therefore, Statement III is correct.

Statement I

Forest Conservation Act, 1980

• This Act regulates diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.

• It focuses on central approval for forest land use change.

• It does not provide any provision for Critical Wildlife Habitats.

❌ Statement I is incorrect.

Statement II

Biological Diversity Act, 2002

• This Act establishes institutions like:

  • National Biodiversity Authority

  • State Biodiversity Boards

  • Biodiversity Management Committees

• It focuses on conservation of biodiversity and equitable benefit sharing.

• It does not mention Critical Wildlife Habitats.

❌ Statement II is incorrect.

Explanation

Statement I

Under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Chief Wildlife Warden is indeed the statutory authority in a State/UT responsible for the control, management, and maintenance of Protected Areas such as:

• National Parks

• Wildlife Sanctuaries

• Conservation Reserves

• Community Reserves

The Act specifically empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden to implement conservation measures, regulate activities, and ensure protection of wildlife within these protected areas.

✅ Therefore, Statement I is correct.

Statement II

The Hangul (Kashmir Stag) is an endangered species found mainly in Dachigam National Park in Jammu & Kashmir.

However, Article 51A(g) of the Constitution of India states:

• It is a Fundamental Duty of citizens to protect and improve the natural environment and have compassion for living creatures.

It does not impose a direct obligation on the State.

The State’s responsibility to protect wildlife and the environment actually comes from Article 48A (Directive Principles of State Policy).

❌ Therefore, Statement II is incorrect.

Explanation

In a significant conservation milestone in September 2025, the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve (Himachal Pradesh) was officially designated as India's 13th site in UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).

Explanation

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora regulates international trade of endangered wildlife.

Species listed in CITES Appendix I are those most threatened with extinction.

Key Rule for Appendix I

• Commercial international trade is prohibited.

• Trade is allowed only in exceptional cases such as:

  • Scientific research

  • Educational purposes

• Such trade requires both export and import permits.

Explanation

The Hangul (Cervus hanglu hanglu), also known as the Kashmir stag, is listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

• It is endemic to Jammu & Kashmir, mainly found in Dachigam National Park.

• Its population declined due to habitat loss, poaching, and human disturbance.

Why the other options are incorrect

• Himalayan Black Bear – Vulnerable

• Snow Leopard – Vulnerable

• Himalayan Monal – Least Concern

Explanation

Gemini said

The correct answer is: complements the Red List by assessing species recovery.

While the famous IUCN Red List focuses on how close a species is to extinction (the "negative" side), the IUCN Green Status was launched in 2021 to provide a "positive" framework. It shifts the focus from merely avoiding death to achieving full ecological recovery.

Explanation

A Keystone Species is a species whose impact on an ecosystem is disproportionately large compared to its abundance. The presence or absence of such a species strongly influences the structure, composition, and functioning of the entire ecological community.

Explanation

Why it is Genetic Diversity

• Intra-species Variation: Genetic diversity refers to the variation of genes within a species. In this case, the different concentrations of the chemical compound Curcumin are a result of genetic adaptations or variations within the same species of turmeric.

• Environmental Adaptation: Plants often develop different chemical profiles (ecotypes) to survive in varying altitudes or soil conditions. The fact that they are all the same "type" of plant but have different internal traits points directly to genetic makeup.

• Population Level: It helps a population of turmeric plants adapt to the specific pressures of the Shivalik hills at different elevations.

Explanation

Under the Biological Diversity Act (2002), State Governments can notify areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS). Unakoti in Tripura was recently notified due to its unique combination of dense forests and historical rock-cut sculptures.

Explanation

The Kyoto Protocol's main aim was to commit industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Explanation

1. "There is infinite storage of fossil fuel inside the earth."

• Status: Incorrect.

• Reason: Fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) are non-renewable resources. They take millions of years to form from organic matter under specific pressure and temperature conditions. We are currently consuming them at a rate significantly faster than they can be replenished.

2. "Steam turbine is an inexhaustible source of energy."

• Status: Incorrect.

• Reason: A steam turbine is a mechanical device (an energy converter), not a source of energy itself. It requires a fuel source—such as coal, gas, or nuclear—to heat water into steam. Because it relies on these external, often finite resources, it cannot be considered "inexhaustible."

3. "Waste from a nuclear power plant can be easily disposed of."

• Status: Incorrect.

• Reason: Nuclear waste is highly radioactive and remains dangerous to human health and the environment for thousands of years. Disposing of it requires complex, expensive, and long-term storage solutions, such as deep geological repositories, which are technically and politically difficult to implement.

Explanation

Life on Earth is possible due to the natural greenhouse effect, but excessive emissions are anthropogenic, not natural.

Explanation

Dr. Henry Antoine was the first to coin the term `Smog` (smoke + fog) in 1905.

Explanation

When ice melts, darker surfaces are exposed which absorb more solar energy, increasing warming. This is the ice-albedo positive feedback.

Explanation

The most important strategy for the conservation of biodiversity together with traditional human life is the establishment of biosphere reserves.

Explanation

Fish

Explanation

Explanation

2341

Explanation