Official Question UPSC 2026
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 :
Solution & Analysis
Answer: B
Let us review the organizational structure of the NIRANTAR platform established by the MoEFCC:
•Statement 1 is Correct: NIRANTAR acts as a collaborative umbrella. The foundational vertical of Ecosystem Survey & Analysis is rightfully led by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata, which holds the primary mandate for mapping national flora.
•Statement 2 is Incorrect: The examiner has swapped the lead agency. The highly critical vertical of Research and Management of Ecosystem Service is spearheaded by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) based in Dehradun. The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) is not the lead agency for this broad ecological mandate.
•Statement 3 is Correct: The administrative and educational vertical, Capacity Development Support, is logically assigned to the premier training institute, the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) located in Bhopal.
Conclusion: Only Statements 1 and 3 correctly match the vertical with its designated lead institute.