UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, lays the foundation stone of the BSL-4 Bio-Containment Facility of the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre in Gandhinagar

Question 1

In the context of the Bio-Containment Facility whose foundation stone was laid at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre, Gandhinagar, the designation 'BSL-4' most precisely denotes which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

The highest of four biosafety containment levels, meant for work with Risk Group-4 pathogens that cause severe disease for which no vaccine or treatment is generally available

Answer

A containment level for Risk Group-3 agents that spread mainly by the aerosol route within a laboratory

Answer

A certification level applicable only to laboratories handling genetically modified plants and crop pathogens

Answer

A facility grade for pathogens against which vaccines exist but for which curative therapy is limited

Question 2

With reference to the BSL-4 Bio-Containment Facility being built at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre, Gandhinagar, consider the following statements:
1. It is being built at a cost of about ₹362 crore.
2. It will be India's first-ever BSL-4 laboratory.
3. It is the first BSL-4 facility in India to be set up by a State Government.
4. It has a planned built-up area of about 11,000 square metres.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 3 and 4

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

2 and 4 only

Answer

1, 2 and 4

Question 3

With reference to the WHO classification of laboratory biosafety levels, consider the following statements:
1. BSL-1 is suitable for well-characterized agents not known to consistently cause disease in healthy adults.
2. BSL-2 is appropriate for agents of moderate hazard associated with Risk Group-2 microorganisms.
3. BSL-3 mandates the use of positive-pressure full-body protective suits for all personnel.
4. BSL-4 is the maximum containment level, meant for Risk Group-4 agents.
Which of the statements given above are correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 4

Answer

1, 3 and 4

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 4

As per the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual, the 'Risk Group' of a microorganism is best defined as which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

A classification of infective microorganisms by the relative hazard they pose, based on pathogenicity, mode of transmission, host range and availability of preventive and curative measures

Answer

The physical containment grade of the laboratory in which the microorganism is permitted to be handled

Answer

The taxonomic family to which the microorganism belongs, used to decide storage conditions

Answer

The percentage case-fatality rate that a microorganism causes in an unimmunised population

Question 5

Consider the following statements comparing India's first BSL-4 laboratory with the proposed GBRC facility:
1. The first BSL-4 laboratory was established at ICMR-NIV, Pune, whereas the GBRC facility will be the second such lab in India.
2. The NIV Pune BSL-4 laboratory was set up by ICMR with the support of the Department of Biotechnology, whereas the GBRC facility is a State-Government initiative.
3. The NIV Pune Maximum Containment Laboratory was planned following the guidelines of WHO Geneva and US-CDC Atlanta.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 6

India's first BSL-4 laboratory, located at the Microbial Containment Complex of the National Institute of Virology, Pune, functions under which one of the following bodies?

Accepted Answer

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

Answer

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Answer

Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

Answer

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)

Question 7

With reference to India's framework for recombinant DNA research and biocontainment, consider the following statements:
1. The current 'Regulations and Guidelines for Recombinant DNA Research and Biocontainment' were brought out in 2017.
2. These regulations were released during a meeting of States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention.
3. They replaced the earlier Recombinant DNA Safety Guidelines that were first issued in 2005.
Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2 and 3 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

1, 2 and 3

Question 8

With reference to the regulatory architecture governing recombinant DNA and biocontainment work in India, consider the following statements:
1. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is a part of this framework.
2. The Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) is a part of this framework.
3. The Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBSC) is a part of this framework.
4. The rules for these bodies were notified solely under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and under no other statute.
Which of the statements given above are correctly identified?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3

Answer

1, 3 and 4

Answer

2 and 4 only

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 9

The Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Gandhinagar, is credited with being the first centre in India to accomplish which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Completing the whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

Answer

Developing India's first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine

Answer

Establishing India's first BSL-4 maximum containment laboratory

Answer

Manufacturing the country's first RT-PCR diagnostic kit

Question 10

With reference to India's National One Health Mission, consider the following statements:
1. Its nodal agency is the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
2. It functions under the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.
3. The National Institute of One Health, Nagpur, serves as an anchor institution.
4. It is implemented solely by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

3 only

Answer

2 and 4 only

Question 11

As per the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual, infective microorganisms are classified into how many Risk Groups?

Accepted Answer

Four

Answer

Two

Answer

Three

Answer

Five

Question 12

Consider the following, which are sometimes attributed to the Union Ministry of Cooperation headed by Shri Amit Shah:
1. National Cooperative Policy 2025
2. Tribhuvan Sahkari University
3. 'Sahkar Taxi' initiative
4. PM Vishwakarma Yojana
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as an initiative of the Ministry of Cooperation?

Accepted Answer

4 only

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

3 only

Answer

2 and 4 only

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, lays the foundation stone of the BSL-4 Bio-Containment Facility of the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre in Gandhinagar

Q1. In the context of the Bio-Containment Facility whose foundation stone was laid at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre, Gandhinagar, the designation 'BSL-4' most precisely denotes which one of the following?

Q4. As per the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual, the 'Risk Group' of a microorganism is best defined as which one of the following?

Q6. India's first BSL-4 laboratory, located at the Microbial Containment Complex of the National Institute of Virology, Pune, functions under which one of the following bodies?

Q9. The Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Gandhinagar, is credited with being the first centre in India to accomplish which one of the following?

Q11. As per the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual, infective microorganisms are classified into how many Risk Groups?