India's protected area system and the flagship programmes built to conserve its forests and endangered wildlife.
India's forests are classified by legal status into Reserved Forests (highest protection, most restricted use), Protected Forests, and Unclassified Forests. The protected area network includes National Parks (highest protection, no human activity permitted), Wildlife Sanctuaries (some regulated human activity allowed), Biosphere Reserves (larger zones balancing conservation with sustainable local livelihoods), and Tiger/Elephant Reserves as species-focused overlays.
Project Tiger (launched 1973) protects tiger populations and their habitat through a network of Tiger Reserves administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA); India now hosts over 70% of the world's wild tigers. Project Elephant (1992) similarly protects elephants and their migratory corridors. Species-specific efforts also cover the one-horned rhinoceros (Kaziranga) and the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard.
APPSC tests protected-area category hierarchy (National Park > Sanctuary in restriction level), Project Tiger's launch year and administering body (NTCA), and how these connect to India's Biodiversity Hotspots, already covered on this site.
Download this topic's notes as a PDF, or search uploaded materials.
