🧬 BIOTECH 2030: Current Affairs Worksheet for UPSC Prelims 2025
📅 A. Key Events (2022–2025)
| Date | Event | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 2020 | NITI Aayog & DBT launch Biotech Vision 2030 | Target: $150B bioeconomy |
| Aug 2022 | ICMR issues CAR-T Therapy Guidelines | Indigenous immunotherapy push |
| Oct 2023 | India hosts Global Bio-India Summit | Focus: Biomanufacturing & One Health |
| April 2024 | Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to AI-Protein Designers (David Baker, Demis Hassabis, John Jumper) | Supports India’s interest in AI-driven biotech |
| June 2024 | Genome India Project completes Phase I (30,000 genomes) | Foundation for precision medicine |
| July 2025 | First successful public hospital trial of indigenous CAR-T therapy (H-CAR19) | Major biotech milestone |
📜 B. Policy Highlights from Biotech Vision 2030
| Theme | Target by 2030 |
|---|---|
| 🎯 Economy | $150 billion bioeconomy |
| 🧬 Health | Scalable vaccine & gene therapy R&D; focus on pandemic preparedness |
| 🌾 Agriculture | CRISPR/genome-edited crops, biofertilizers, soil health |
| 🏭 Industrial Biotech | Bioplastics, biofuels, waste-to-value tech |
| 🧪 Research & Infra | 30+ biotech parks, BioNEST expansion, shared biolabs |
| 🧑🎓 Skilling | 1 million biotech professionals trained |
| ⚖️ Regulation | Fast-track approvals, single-window clearance, biosafety ethics framework |
❓ C. UPSC-Style MCQs (with Explanations)
Q1. With reference to India’s Biotech Vision 2030, consider the following:
-
It aims to establish India among the top 10 biotech nations globally.
-
It promotes biomanufacturing, genome editing, and bioinformatics.
-
The Vision is jointly developed by NITI Aayog and ICMR.
Which of the above is/are correct?
(a) 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
✅ Answer: (a)
-
Statement 1: Incorrect. India targets Top 5 globally.
-
Statement 3: Incorrect. Vision 2030 was launched by NITI Aayog and DBT.
-
Statement 2: Correct.
Q2. Which of the following is/are part of the focus areas of India’s Biotech Vision 2030?
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One Health
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Artificial Intelligence in protein design
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Clean energy through biofuels
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Space biotechnology
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) All of the above
✅ Answer: (a)
-
Space biotech is emerging but not mentioned in the Vision 2030 explicitly.
Q3. Consider the following pairs:
| Initiative | Implementing Agency |
|---|---|
| Biotech KISAN | Department of Biotechnology |
| Genome India Project | Ministry of Health |
| BioNEST Incubators | BIRAC |
Which of the pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) All three
✅ Answer: (a)
-
Pair 2 is incorrect. Genome India is led by DBT, not MoHFW.
📌 D. One-Liner Revision Box
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| 🔬 What is BioNEST? | Incubation platform for biotech startups |
| 🇮🇳 DBT under which ministry? | Ministry of Science & Technology |
| 🧠 Who launched Biotech Vision 2030? | NITI Aayog + DBT |
| 🏭 Full form of BIRAC | Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council |
| 🧬 Aim of Genome India Project | Map genetic diversity across India |
| 🛡️ Guidelines for CAR-T safety? | ICMR + CDSCO + Gene Therapy guidelines |
| 🌾 Biotech KISAN target group | Farmers in NE and women farmers |
✍️ Bonus for Mains/Essay Prep
Essay Prompt Idea: “Biotechnology: A Tool for Sustainable and Equitable Growth”
GS Paper III Linkage:
Biotech Vision 2030
Startup India & Atmanirbhar Bharat
Climate change, biofuels, waste management
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