28th Meeting of the Wildlife Institute of India Society Held
The 28th meeting of the reconstituted Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Society was held on July 9, 2026, at the Central Academy for State Forest Service (CASFOS) in Coimbatore. The meeting was chaired by Bhupender Yadav, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. This was the first meeting of the new Society following its reconstitution. A scientific roadmap for the next three years was approved during the meeting. Special emphasis was placed on mitigating human-wildlife conflict, technology-based wildlife management, and capacity building. Discussions were held on aligning the institute's research and training activities with the goal of 'Viksit Bharat @2047' (Developed India @2047). WII is a premier national institution in India for wildlife research, biodiversity conservation, and wildlife management.
The 28th meeting of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Society was held on July 9, 2026, at the Central Academy for State Forest Service (CASFOS) in Coimbatore.
The meeting was chaired by Bhupender Yadav, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The primary objective of the meeting was to determine the scientific, research, and conservation priorities of the institute for the next three years.
Introduction to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an autonomous national institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
It was established in 1982 in Dehradun (Uttarakhand).
It is India's premier institution providing scientific and technical support for wildlife research, biodiversity conservation, wildlife management, training, and policy formulation.
Significance of the Reconstituted WII Society
This was the first meeting of the reconstituted WII Society following the conclusion of the previous term in April 2026.
The new Society comprises both ex-officio and nominated members. This body guides the institute's policies, administrative direction, and long-term scientific programs.
Institutional Roadmap aligned with 'Viksit Bharat @2047'
The meeting emphasized aligning WII's research and training activities with the national vision of 'Viksit Bharat @2047'.
Priority areas included mitigating human-wildlife conflict, technology-based wildlife monitoring, and capacity building through the use of modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), drones, GIS, and remote sensing.
Scientific goals for the next three years
The Society approved the institute's scientific roadmap for the next three years.
Key objectives include biodiversity conservation, protection of endangered species, wildlife habitat management, studying the impacts of climate change, ecological research, and providing technical and policy-related support to states.
UPSC Exam Perspective
Questions related to the Wildlife Institute of India, autonomous institutions, biodiversity conservation, human-wildlife conflict, wildlife management, environmental governance, and 'Viksit Bharat @2047' may be asked in both the UPSC Preliminary and Main examinations.
It would be beneficial to study this news comprehensively alongside topics such as environment and ecology, conservation institutions, the Biodiversity Act, and India's environmental policies.
