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NGT Functioning at Half Strength with 10 Members; 9 of 13 Experts Since 2016 Former Govt Officers

PolityEnvironmentHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
25 Feb 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:NGT strength: 10 members (4 judicial, 6 expert)Expert members since 2016: 13 appointed, 9 former officersExpert members (2011-2015): 11 appointed, 2 former officers
Bodies:National Green Tribunal (NGT)Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)Supreme Court of India
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The NGT is currently operating with only 10 members (4 judicial, 6 expert), which is half of its prescribed minimum strength of 20 as per the NGT Act.

2.A significant trend shows that 9 out of 13 expert members appointed since 2016 are former government officers who were previously involved in granting environmental clearances, raising conflict-of-interest concerns.

3.The composition shift is stark when compared to the period before 2016, where only 2 out of 11 expert members had such government backgrounds.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is currently functioning with only 10 members, half its prescribed minimum strength, and faces a conflict-of-interest issue. A majority (9 out of 13) of expert members appointed since 2016 are former government officers who were part of the same environmental clearance process they now adjudicate. This raises questions about the tribunal's independence and the effectiveness of its appellate jurisdiction.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

NGT Prescribed Strength10-20 full-time judicial + 10-20 full-time expert members
Current NGT Strength4 judicial + 6 expert members (Total 10)
Expert Members Since 201613 appointed, 9 were former government officers
Expert Members (2011-2015)11 appointed, only 2 were former government officers
Tribunals Reforms Act2021 - Changed NGT member selection committee composition

1-Minute Revision

  • ›NGT Prescribed Strength: 10-20 full-time judicial + 10-20 full-time expert members
  • ›Current NGT Strength: 4 judicial + 6 expert members (Total 10)
  • ›Target this Data: Current NGT strength is 10 members (4 judicial, 6 expert) against a minimum of 20.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: The selection committee for NGT members as per Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: NGT's appellate jurisdiction covers orders under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Under which Act was the National Green Tribunal (NGT) established?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the National Green Tribunal (NGT):

1. The NGT Act mandates a strength of 10-20 full-time judicial members and 10-20 full-time expert members.

2. The selection committee for appointing NGT members, as per the Tribunals Reforms Act 2021, includes the Environment Secretary as a member with voting rights.

3. The NGT has appellate jurisdiction over orders passed under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the news article, how many expert members appointed to the NGT since 2016 were former government officers?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary governance concern highlighted by the appointment trend of NGT expert members discussed in the article?

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