- Why in news
- On 25 September 2026, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav launched the inception workshop for the 6th cycle of MEE-TR and released the MEE 2026 Technical Manual in New Delhi.
- What it is
- MEE-TR is a systematic assessment of how well each Tiger Reserve is managed to meet its conservation goals. It is run by the National Tiger Conservation Authority with the Wildlife Institute of India. India uses a framework adapted from the IUCN WCPA framework.
- Who runs it
- NTCA organised the exercise with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
- Framework
- India adapts the IUCN WCPA framework, which assesses six elements: Context, Planning, Inputs, Processes, Outputs, Outcomes.
- Cycles
- MEE began in 2006. Cycles in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 covered 28, 39, 43, 50 and 51 reserves.
- 6th cycle coverage
- The 6th cycle will cover all 58 Tiger Reserves.
- New criterion
- Solid Waste Management becomes a separate criterion, covering forest chowki waste, tourism waste and biomedical waste at rescue centres.
Don’t confuse with MEE vs tiger census: MEE rates management quality of reserves; the All India Tiger Estimation counts tigers and prey.
Species and protected areas: 12 Prelims questions since 2013; they test legal status, location and the year of designation.
Why it matters
- Evidence-based assessment helps identify management gaps and prioritise funds and actions across reserves.
Problems
- Balancing science-based management with local community needs and human-wildlife conflict.
Way forward
- Involve local ecological and sociological experts and youth, and use area-based measurable outcomes.
- 2014Prelims Q96Which statements about Animal Welfare Board, NTCA, NGRBA are correct?
- 2017Prelims Q80What is the M-STrIPES term related to in news?
- 2020Prelims Q100Which tiger reserve has largest Critical Tiger Habitat area?
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.The 6th cycle of the Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves (MEE-TR) will cover all 58 Tiger Reserves in India.
- 2.MEE-TR in India uses a framework adapted from the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas.
- 3.The 2022 cycle of MEE-TR covered 43 Tiger Reserves.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 6
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The 6th cycle of MEE-TR will cover all 58 Tiger Reserves in India.
True. The 6th cycle covers all 58 Tiger Reserves.
2.MEE-TR in India uses a framework adapted from the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas.
True. The framework is adapted from the IUCN WCPA framework.
3.The 2022 cycle of MEE-TR covered 43 Tiger Reserves.
False. The 2022 cycle covered 51 reserves; 43 was the 2014 figure.
4.MEE-TR 2026 introduces Solid Waste Management as a separate evaluation criterion.
True. Solid Waste Management is a new separate criterion in 2026.
5.The MEE-TR framework assesses Context, Planning, Inputs, Processes, Outputs and Outcomes.
True. These are the six elements assessed.
6.MEE-TR is conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India alone, without involvement of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
False. NTCA organises it in collaboration with WII.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Source: PIB, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change., 25 Sep, 14:00 IST · Release 295248
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.