2019 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2019 · GS Paper I

Question 55: Environment and Ecology

Consider the following statements :

  1. 1.As per recent amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927, forest dwellers have the right to fell the bamboos grown on forest areas.
  2. 2.As per the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, bamboo is a minor forest produce.
  3. 3.The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 allows ownership of minor forest produce to forest dwellers.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 and 2 only
b2 and 3 only
c3 only
d1, 2 and 3

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

Statements 2 and 3 are correct. The Forest Rights Act, 2006 treats bamboo as minor forest produce and recognises the right of forest dwellers to own, collect, use and dispose of minor forest produce. The 2017 amendment to the Indian Forest Act took bamboo grown on non-forest land out of the definition of a tree, so no felling or transit permit is needed there; it did not give forest dwellers a right to fell bamboo growing in forest areas.

  • 1. The 2017 amendment concerns bamboo on non-forest land, not a right to fell it in forests.
  • 2. The Forest Rights Act treats bamboo as minor forest produce.
  • 3. The Act recognises ownership of minor forest produce by forest dwellers.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) and (d) go: each of them includes 1.

    What you needed to know: The 2017 amendment concerns bamboo on non-forest land, not a right to fell it in forests.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is correct, (c) goes: it leaves 2 out.

    What you needed to know: The Forest Rights Act treats bamboo as minor forest produce.

Only (b) is left. You didn’t need statement 3.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Wrong: statement 1 is false.
  • (b) Correct: statements 2 and 3 hold.
  • (c) Statement 2 is also correct.
  • (d) Statement 1 is false.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2019, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.