Question — Q.77
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?
1Ecosystem Survey and Analysis is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
2Research and Management of Ecosystem Service is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi.
3Capacity Development Support is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal.
A1, 2 and 3
B1 and 3 only ✓
C2 only
D3 only
Each Statement — Verified from Official NIRANTAR Portal (nirantar.moef.gov.in)
1
✓ Correct — BSI Kolkata is lead institute
Ecosystem Survey and Analysis — lead institute: Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata
Confirmed verbatim on the official NIRANTAR portal. The page for this vertical states: “The lead institute of this vertical is Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.”Mandate: Conduct survey, assessment and analytics on forests, flora, fauna and other natural resources; development and maintenance of Ex-Situ Conservation measures (libraries, gene banks, herbariums, museums of natural history).
Institutes under this vertical: Forest Survey of India (FSI) · Botanical Survey of India (BSI) · Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) · National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) · National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
✓ Source: nirantar.moef.gov.in — verbatim confirmed
“The lead institute of this vertical is Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata” — exactly as stated in Statement 1
2
✗ Wrong — lead is ICFRE Dehradun, not CZA
Research and Management of Ecosystem Service — lead institute: Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi
The lead institute of this vertical is ICFRE (Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education), Dehradun — NOT Central Zoo Authority.The official NIRANTAR portal states: “The lead institute of this vertical is ICFRE, Dehradun.”
Central Zoo Authority (CZA) is indeed listed under this vertical — but as one of the member institutes, not the lead. The institutes under this vertical are:
• ICFRE (lead) and its sister institutes including FRI
• Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
• Central Zoo Authority (CZA) — a member, not the lead
✗ Lead = ICFRE Dehradun · CZA is only a member institute under this vertical
Official portal: “The lead institute of this vertical is ICFRE, Dehradun” · CZA is included but is subordinate to ICFRE’s lead
3
✓ Correct — IIFM Bhopal is lead institute
Capacity Development Support — lead institute: Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal
Confirmed verbatim on the official NIRANTAR portal. The page for this vertical states: “The lead institute of this vertical is IIFM, Bhopal.”Mandate: Research, education and development for capacity building on forest management and forest products aimed at environmental conservation and sustainable natural resource management; creation of a pool of trained professionals in sustainable resource management, forest certification, ecosystem services, climate change mitigation and nature-based solutions.
Institutes under this vertical: Institute of Wood Science and Technology (ICFRE-IWST) · Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM)
✓ Source: nirantar.moef.gov.in — verbatim confirmed
“The lead institute of this vertical is IIFM, Bhopal” — exactly as stated in Statement 3
All Four NIRANTAR Verticals — Complete Reference
| Vertical | Lead Institute | Key Member Institutes |
| 1. Ecosystem Survey & Analysis ✓ | Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata | FSI · BSI · ZSI · NMNH · National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) |
| 2. Research & Management of Ecosystem Service ✗ | ICFRE, Dehradun (NOT CZA) | ICFRE + sister institutes (FRI etc.) · WII · NTCA · Central Zoo Authority (CZA) — member only |
| 3. Capacity Development Support ✓ | IIFM (Indian Institute of Forest Management), Bhopal | ICFRE-IWST · IIFM |
| 4. Climate Change Support | (4th vertical — not tested in this question) | GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Ecology · NCSCM (National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management) · TERI etc. |
📌 About NIRANTAR
Full name: National Institute for Research & Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience · Under: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) · Purpose: Enhance synergy and coordination among MoEFCC’s expert institutions through a “Whole of Government” approach — breaking administrative silos for sustainable natural resource management · Secretariat: Hosted by ICFRE, Dehradun · Portal: nirantar.moef.gov.in
Memory Trick
🧠 Lead Institutes — Four Verticals
Ecosystem Survey → BSI Kolkata: Survey of flora/biodiversity → Botanical Survey of India. BSI is India’s premier botanical institution. “Botanists survey ecosystems” — BSI leads the survey vertical.
Research & Management → ICFRE Dehradun (NOT CZA): ICFRE = Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education — the apex forestry research body. CZA is a member institute, not lead. CZA focuses only on zoos — ICFRE covers the entire ecosystem research mandate.
Capacity Development → IIFM Bhopal: IIFM = Indian Institute of Forest Management. Management education + capacity building → IIFM Bhopal. Think: “Management institute = Capacity building.” Forest Management + Bhopal = Statement 3.
