Most of India’s wildlife law protects animals. One schedule exists purely to protect plants.
🏛️ Must Know
What Schedule VI Actually Protects
- Plants, Not Animals Schedule VI of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 is the only schedule dedicated to protecting specified plant species.
- Added in 1991 Schedule VI was inserted through the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 1991, extending the law’s reach to plants.
- Licence Required to Cultivate Placing a plant under Schedule VI means a licence is required to cultivate it. Cultivation is not banned outright.
- Trade Is Restricted Too Possession, sale, and transport of listed plants also need prior permission from the competent authority.
Good to Know
📘 Good to Know
Which Species Sit Under Schedule VI
- A Short List Only six plant species are currently listed under Schedule VI, including Beddome’s cycad and the pitcher plant.
- Beddome’s Cycad Cycas beddomei is a rare, ancient cycad found in parts of Andhra Pradesh, now protected under this schedule.
- Different From CITES A CITES listing controls international trade. A Schedule VI listing controls cultivation and trade within India itself.
📝 Previous Year Questions
UPSC CSP 2020 — What a Schedule VI Listing Actually Implies
- UPSC 2020 A Schedule VI listing means a licence is required to cultivate that plant species, not an outright ban. See UPSC CSP 2020 GS Paper I, Q81. View this question.
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Great to Know
🌟 Great to Know
Why a Plant-Only Schedule Exists at All
- Plants Face Real Extraction Pressure Rare plants like Beddome’s cycad face collection pressure from horticulture and traditional medicine, not just habitat loss.
- A Licence, Not a Ban Requiring a licence lets legitimate cultivation and research continue while still tracking who holds these rare species.
- Connects to Other PYQ Facts This licence-not-ban logic echoes how CITES treats Appendix II trade in orchids and other regulated plants.
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