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Tiger and Elephant Reserves: asked and not asked.

UPSC has asked 25 of these 37. 14 came more than once. 12 have not come yet. Lock the repeated ones first, then read the rest.

First, the concept

Project Tiger began in 1973 with 9 reserves; Jim Corbett was the first. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) came in 2006. India had 58 tiger reserves by 2025; Madhav (Madhya Pradesh) was the 58th.

The 2022 count found about 3,682 tigers; Madhya Pradesh has the most. Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam is the largest tiger reserve.

Project Elephant began in 1992. Karnataka has the most elephants. The elephant is India's National Heritage Animal.

🔁 Asked again and again (14)

Tap a year to open that solved question.

Records and new reserves

Jim Corbett · Uttarakhand; the first (1973), on the Ramganga 4 times:2020 2017 2013 1985
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam · Andhra Pradesh–Telangana; the largest 3 times:2020 2020 2019

Central India

Achanakmar, Indravati, Udanti-Sitanadi · Chhattisgarh 4 times:2015 2015 2015 2007
Panna and Satpura · Madhya Pradesh 2 times:1991 1987

Rajasthan and the West

Sahyadri · Maharashtra 4 times:2023 2023 2023 1995

South

Mudumalai, Anamalai, Sathyamangalam · Tamil Nadu 6 times:2020 2020 2020 2019 2017 2017
Bandipur and Nagarhole · Karnataka 5 times:2020 2020 2017 2012 1989
Bhadra, Dandeli-Anshi (Kali), BRT · Karnataka 5 times:2023 2023 2023 2007 1987
Periyar and Parambikulam · Kerala 3 times:2007 2002 1985
Kalakad-Mundanthurai · Tamil Nadu 2 times:2019 2019

East and North-East

Kaziranga, Manas, Nameri, Orang · Assam 16 times:2023 2020 2020 2019 2019 2019
Namdapha, Pakke, Kamlang · Arunachal Pradesh 4 times:2019 2018 2015 2013

Elephants

Singhbhum Elephant Reserve · Jharkhand; India's first (2001) 2 times:1989 1984
Elephant corridors · Strips of forest that join two elephant habitats 2 times:2025 2023

✅ Asked once (11)

Records and new reserves

Madhav · Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh; 58th (2025) 2026

Central India

Kanha · Madhya Pradesh; hard-ground barasingha 2020
Bandhavgarh · Madhya Pradesh; very high tiger density 2007
Palamau · Jharkhand; one of the first nine (1973) 1990

Rajasthan and the West

Ranthambore · Rajasthan 2020
Sariska · Rajasthan; first to get tigers moved back in (2008) 2017

South

Amrabad and Kawal · Telangana

East and North-East

Sundarbans and Buxa · West Bengal 1999
Simlipal and Satkosia · Odisha 2007
Dampa · Mizoram 2014
Rajaji · Uttarakhand 2007

❌ Not asked by UPSC yet (12)

Items marked 'asked in UPPCS' have already come in the UP state exam, so examiners do use them.

Records and new reserves

Ratapani · Madhya Pradesh; 57th (2024)
Guru Ghasidas–Tamor Pingla · Chhattisgarh; 56th (2024)
Veerangana Durgavati · Madhya Pradesh (2023)
Dholpur-Karauli · Rajasthan (2023)
Srivilliputhur-Megamalai · Tamil Nadu; 51st (2021)

Central India

Pench · Madhya Pradesh–Maharashtra; the land of The Jungle Book asked in UPPCS
Tadoba-Andhari · Chandrapur, Maharashtra asked in UPPCS
Melghat · Maharashtra asked in UPPCS

Rajasthan and the West

Mukundra Hills and Ramgarh Vishdhari · Rajasthan

East and North-East

Valmiki · Bihar's only tiger reserve asked in UPPCS

Elephants

Project Elephant · 1992; protects elephants, their habitat and corridors asked in UPPCS
National Heritage Animal · The elephant, declared in 2010

⚠️ Pench lies in both Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Valmiki is in Bihar, not Uttar Pradesh. Jim Corbett is in Uttarakhand, not Uttar Pradesh.

'Asked' is checked against the solved UPSC questions on this site. 'Not asked yet' does not mean it will surely come.

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