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6th Cycle of Tiger Reserve Management Effectiveness Evaluation
The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change launches the Inception Workshop for the 6th Cycle of Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves (MEE-TR 2026) in New Delhi. The workshop is organised by the National Tiger Conservation Authority in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, and marks the release of the Technical Manual for MEE-TR 2026. The 6th cycle expands the evaluation to cover all 58 notified Tiger Reserves across India.
MEE-TR 2026:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Definition | MEE-TR comprises a systematic, evidence-based assessment framework to evaluate how effectively protected areas are managed. |
| Assessment scope | The framework audits administrative capacity, input resources, planning, and long-term conservation outcomes beyond mere species headcounts. |
| Global framework linkage | MEE-TR is adapted directly from the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Framework for Assessing Management Effectiveness. |
| Core evaluation elements | The evaluation comprises 6 elements: context; planning; inputs; processes; outputs; and outcomes. |
| Context element | Context evaluation covers value, threats, and policy environment. |
| Planning element | Planning evaluation covers design, layout, and management plans. |
| Inputs element | Inputs evaluation covers financial, human, and material resources. |
| Processes element | Processes evaluation covers management practices, field patrolling, and conflict protocols. |
| Outputs element | Outputs evaluation covers implementation of targets, anti-poaching infrastructure, and expenditure. |
| Outcomes element | Outcomes evaluation covers prey-predator dynamics, habitat integrity, and community co-management. |
| MEE cycles in India | The MEE cycles comprise: 2006 (28 reserves), 2010 (39 reserves), 2014 (43 reserves), 2018 (50 reserves), and 2022 5th Cycle (51 reserves). |
| 5th Cycle top rank | In the 2022 (5th Cycle), Periyar Tiger Reserve ranks No. 1 with 94.38%. |
| Cycle periodicity claim | India is the only nation globally to conduct MEE for its big cat reserves quadrennially across five past cycles. |
| New criterion in 6th cycle | The 6th cycle introduces a dedicated Solid Waste Management criterion as an independent, mandatory evaluation metric. |
| Solid Waste Management streams | The Solid Waste Management criterion covers containment, segregation, and disposal across 3 internal streams: anti-poaching forest camps (chowkis), eco-tourism zones and safari corridors, and biomedical and organic waste generated at wildlife rescue centres. |
| Evidence integration | The 6th cycle mandates integration of evidence through satellite remote sensing, geo-tagged field patrolling logs, real-time spatial monitoring platforms, and data integration over subjective feedback. |
| Evaluation teams | Evaluation teams comprise local community representatives, local youth, and independent sociological experts alongside retired forest officers and scientists. |
| Community interface scrutiny | The framework mandates enhanced scrutiny of voluntary village relocation schemes from core or critical tiger habitats under Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and of the functional efficacy of Eco-Development Committees. |
| Scoring framework | Performance bands comprise: Excellent (90% and above), Very Good (75% to 89%), Good (60% to 74%), and Fair (50% to 59%). |