UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — $10 Billion to 190 Billion Bioeconomy: India’s Science Story touches New Heights in 12 Years says Dr Jitendra Singh

Q1. Which one of the following is the principal implementing agency for the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment & Employment) Policy, 2024, under the Department of Biotechnology?

  • A. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)
  • B. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
  • C. Technology Development Board (TDB)
  • D. National Research Development Corporation (NRDC)

Q2. With reference to the 'BioEnablers' envisaged under the BioE3 Policy, 2024 as distinct from one another, consider the following statements: 1. Bio-AI Hubs are designed to power data-driven research and AI-informed predictive analytics for biomanufacturing. 2. Biofoundries are intended to provide integrated facilities for early scaling-up of proof-of-concept developments by academia, SMEs and industries. 3. Biomanufacturing Hubs are restricted to funding academic basic research and explicitly exclude startups and SMEs from access. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Bio-AI Hubs are designed to power data-driven research and AI-informed predictive analytics for biomanufacturing.
  2. Biofoundries are intended to provide integrated facilities for early scaling-up of proof-of-concept developments by academia, SMEs and industries.
  3. Biomanufacturing Hubs are restricted to funding academic basic research and explicitly exclude startups and SMEs from access.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. As per the official figures cited in 2025–26, approximately how many biotech start-ups support India's bioeconomy?

  • A. About 2,500
  • B. About 5,000
  • C. About 11,800
  • D. About 25,000

Q4. In which year was the establishment of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) announced by the Government of India?

  • A. 2018
  • B. 2019
  • C. 2020
  • D. 2022

Q5. IN-SPACe, the single-window nodal agency for authorising space activities by non-governmental private entities in India, functions under the administrative control of which one of the following?

  • A. Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology
  • B. Department of Space, under the Prime Minister's Office
  • C. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • D. Defence Research and Development Organisation, Ministry of Defence

Q6. With reference to lunar exploration, which one of the following countries became the first in the world to achieve a soft-landing of a spacecraft in the south polar region of the Moon?

  • A. United States of America
  • B. Russia
  • C. China
  • D. India

Q7. The Chandrayaan-3 mission, which successfully soft-landed on the Moon in August 2023, was executed exclusively under which one of the following organisations of the Government of India?

  • A. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
  • B. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
  • C. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the Department of Space
  • D. Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe)

Q8. Under Mission Mausam, which one of the following institutions is the lead agency for weather observations, public services, decision support systems and dissemination?

  • A. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM)
  • B. India Meteorological Department (IMD)
  • C. National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF)
  • D. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS)

Q9. Mission Mausam, the central sector scheme to augment the Doppler Weather Radar network and enhance forecasting, is operationalised by which one of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Science and Technology
  • B. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • C. Ministry of Earth Sciences
  • D. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Q10. With reference to the Department of Biotechnology, the term 'Biotech-KISAN' most precisely refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A credit-linked subsidy scheme administered through NABARD for farmers cultivating genetically modified crops approved by GEAC
  • B. A scientist-farmer partnership programme working on a hub-and-spoke model to deliver location-specific biotechnological solutions, implemented pan-India including Aspirational Districts in collaboration with ICAR
  • C. A specialised Kisan Credit Card variant issued exclusively to agri-biotech entrepreneurs incubated by BIRAC
  • D. A statutory regulatory mechanism for licensing transgenic seed varieties to farmer producer organisations under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

Q11. Under the amended Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy for the space sector (notified after the Indian Space Policy, 2023), what is the maximum FDI permitted under the Automatic Route for 'Launch Vehicles and associated systems/subsystems' and 'Creation of Spaceports'?

  • A. 26%
  • B. 49%
  • C. 74%
  • D. 100%

Q12. With reference to the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy on the space sector as amended after the Indian Space Policy, 2023, consider the following activities and the maximum FDI permitted under the Automatic Route: 1. Satellites — Manufacturing and Operation: up to 74% 2. Launch Vehicles and associated systems/subsystems: up to 49% 3. Manufacturing of components and sub-systems for satellites: up to 100% 4. Creation of Spaceports for launching and receiving spacecraft: up to 100% Which of the above pairs is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. Satellites — Manufacturing and Operation: up to 74%
  2. Launch Vehicles and associated systems/subsystems: up to 49%
  3. Manufacturing of components and sub-systems for satellites: up to 100%
  4. Creation of Spaceports for launching and receiving spacecraft: up to 100%
  • A. 4 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3 only

Q13. With reference to the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy, 2024, consider the following statements regarding its identified thematic sectors: 1. Smart proteins and functional foods is one of the thematic sectors. 2. Precision biotherapeutics is one of the thematic sectors. 3. Semiconductor fabrication and photonics is exclusively listed as a thematic sector. 4. Carbon capture and utilization is one of the thematic sectors. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Smart proteins and functional foods is one of the thematic sectors.
  2. Precision biotherapeutics is one of the thematic sectors.
  3. Semiconductor fabrication and photonics is exclusively listed as a thematic sector.
  4. Carbon capture and utilization is one of the thematic sectors.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q14. The BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy, 2024 for fostering high performance biomanufacturing is implemented under the aegis of which one of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Earth Sciences
  • B. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
  • C. Ministry of Science and Technology
  • D. Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
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