SSC
The first National Forest Policy of independent India was issued in:
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Answer: Option C — 1952
Detailed Solution
The first National Forest Policy of independent India was issued in 1952. It replaced the colonial Forest Policy of 1894, which had been framed by the British mainly for the commercial use of timber and revenue.
Key features of the 1952 policy:
- It recommended that one-third (33%) of India's total land area should be under forest cover: 60% in the hills and mountains and 20% in the plains.
- It classified forests into protection forests, national forests, village forests and tree lands.
- It emphasised the needs of defence, communications and industry, and gave priority to the commercial use of forests.
- It weakened the rights of local communities over forests, which was later criticised.
The National Forest Policy of 1988:
- It replaced the 1952 policy and is the policy currently in force.
- It shifted the focus from commercial use to environmental stability and ecological balance.
- It kept the goal of having 33% of the country's geographical area under forest or tree cover.
- It recognised the rights of tribal people and local communities over forest produce, and encouraged their participation, which later led to Joint Forest Management (JFM) from 1990.
- A draft National Forest Policy was released in 2018, but it has not yet been adopted.
Important forest laws of India:
- Indian Forest Act, 1927.
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, which requires central approval for using forest land for non-forest purposes; it was amended in 2023 and renamed the "Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam".
- Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
- "Forests" were moved from the State List to the Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment in 1976.
- According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR), India's forest and tree cover together is about a quarter of its geographical area.
Why not the other options?
- ✗1947 is the year of independence.
- ✗1972 is the year of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
- ✗1988 is the year of the present National Forest Policy.
Quick tip
Remember: Forest policies = 1894 (British), 1952 (first post-independence, 33% target), 1988 (current, ecological focus, JFM); Forests moved to the Concurrent List in 1976.
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Firsts in India & World — Preparation
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This topic covers the first persons and events in India and the world: the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize, the first woman to hold major offices, the first to climb Everest or reach space, and India's first institutions, newspapers, railways and satellites. It also covers the largest, longest, highest and smallest records in India and the world. These are pure memory questions, so revise them as short lists by theme: first women, first in sports, first in science and space, and first in governance. Be careful with the exact wording, such as 'first Indian' versus 'first person of Indian origin', or 'first woman President' versus 'first woman Prime Minister', since options are often designed to exploit this. Practise the firsts in India and the world questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.