With reference to the Great Nicobar Islands, which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?
This question is based on: The Fifteen Minutes You Were Given
Environment · 17 Aug 2026
Great Nicobar Forest Rights Act
About this question
Why in news
An August 10, 2026 Expression of Interest named six sea areas across Great Nicobar and Little Andaman for a data centre project, several overlapping with zones the draft master plan had earmarked for wildlife corridors and biodiversity tourism, even as the broader project faces a Calcutta High Court PIL over Forest Rights Act compliance.
Why for UPSC
UPSC often probes the precise legal weight of an administrative stage (here, an EoI) rather than treating every project announcement as equivalent - this distinguishes a feasibility proposal from a binding, consultation-triggering decision.
Prelims summary
The Shompen, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group and the Nicobarese are Great Nicobar's indigenous communities. The Forest Rights Act, 2006 requires tribal consent before forest-land diversion, but an Expression of Interest is only a feasibility-stage proposal, not a finalised land-diversion decision.
On web, answers are shown once after a test — no save or reattempt. For unlimited reattempts, Hindi medium, and Mentor Observations, use the TAN App.