SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 14 September 2025, Shift 2 · General Awareness · Question 21 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 11 September 2026.

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Objective of India’s new Eco-Tourism Policy in protected areas?

(a)Ban human activity
(b)Maximize profit w/o community
(c)Balance conservation and livelihoods
(d)Turn areas into resorts

Answer

Why

Correct — C. Ecotourism in protected areas is meant to balance conservation with local livelihoods: visitors come in under rules that protect the habitat, and local communities share in the income.

Indian wildlife law already works this way. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 allows a permit to enter a sanctuary for tourism, and asks tiger-reserve foundations to promote eco-tourism with local communities.

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Ban human activity — A ban defeats the purpose. The Wild Life (Protection) Act lists tourism among the purposes for which a sanctuary entry permit may be granted, so regulated visits, not a ban, are the model.
(b)
Maximize profit w/o community — Leaving communities out is the opposite of the aim. The Act asks tiger-reserve foundations to promote eco-tourism with the involvement of local stake-holder communities.
(d)
Turn areas into resorts — Resorts turn a protected area into a commercial zone. The Act empowers the NTCA to lay down standards for tourism in the core and buffer areas of tiger reserves.

Concept

The Global Ecotourism Network defines ecotourism as responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of the local people.

Indian law gives it a frame. Section 28 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act lets the Chief Wild Life Warden permit entry to a sanctuary for tourism, on conditions and fees.

Section 38O lets the NTCA set standards for tourism in tiger reserves. Section 38X asks each State's Tiger Conservation Foundation to promote eco-tourism with local communities.

The stem gives no date or issuing body for the "new Eco-Tourism Policy", so this card does not guess which document is meant. The answer rests on the stated aim: three options are extremes (a total ban, profit without communities, resorts), and one is the balance.

Key facts

Section 28 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 lets the Chief Wild Life Warden grant a permit to enter a sanctuary for tourism.
Section 38O(1)(c) empowers the NTCA to lay down normative standards for tourism activities in the core and buffer areas of tiger reserves.
Section 38X(2)(b) asks each Tiger Conservation Foundation to promote eco-tourism with the involvement of local stake-holder communities.
The Union Budget 2023-24 announced Amrit Dharohar to encourage optimal use of wetlands and enhance eco-tourism opportunities and income generation for local communities.

Study next

Core and buffer zones of tiger reservesEco-sensitive zones around national parks and sanctuariesNational parks, sanctuaries and community reserves under the Wild Life (Protection) Act

Common traps

Choosing a ban because protected areas sound off-limits — the law permits regulated tourism in sanctuaries.
Treating ecotourism as ordinary tourism in a scenic place — the test is whether it conserves the area and benefits local people.

Protected areas also appear at 18 Sep 2025, 12:30, GA Q.22, which matches national parks to their States.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: General Policy — all 218 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.