UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh Announces India’s First Engineering Biology Graduation Course to Build Future Biotechnology Workforce

Q1. Engineering biology (synthetic biology) is described as a convergent, interdisciplinary field. With reference to the domains of knowledge that converge in it, consider the following: Which of the above is/are correctly identified as constituent domains of engineering biology?

  1. Molecular and biological sciences
  2. Engineering design principles
  3. Artificial intelligence and data science
  4. Classical Linnaean taxonomy and plant systematics
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q2. Engineering biology is characterised as the convergence of how many broad domains, namely engineering design principles, molecular/biological sciences, artificial intelligence and data science?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q3. In July 2026, Dr Jitendra Singh announced a new course explicitly described as the first of its kind in India. This 'first-of-its-kind' course pertains to which one of the following?

  • A. Engineering biology
  • B. Precision biotherapeutics
  • C. Marine biotechnology
  • D. Biomanufacturing engineering

Q4. The engineering biology course was announced while unveiling the NITI Aayog 'Roadmap for Building India as a Leading Bioeconomy Powerhouse by 2035'. With reference to this roadmap, consider the following: Which of the above is/are correct?

  1. It targets a USD 691 billion bioeconomy by 2035.
  2. It envisages the creation of over 30 million high-value jobs.
  3. It recommends a Rs 50,000-crore BioEconomy Growth Fund.
  4. It seeks to make India the single largest biotechnology power in the world by 2035.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q5. Which one of the following statements correctly describes the Department of Biotechnology (DBT)?

  • A. It is one of the departments constituting the Ministry of Science and Technology.
  • B. It is an autonomous body functioning under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  • C. It is a specialised wing of NITI Aayog for bioeconomy planning.
  • D. It is a statutory body under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).

Q6. Within the Ministry of Science and Technology, the nodal department for planning and implementing India's biotechnology development programmes is:

  • A. Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
  • B. Department of Science and Technology (DST)
  • C. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR)
  • D. Department of Health Research (DHR)

Q7. The BioE3 Policy approved by the Union Cabinet in 2024 is operationalised primarily through which one of the following?

  • A. Department of Biotechnology through BIRAC
  • B. Department of Science and Technology through the Technology Development Board
  • C. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories
  • D. Department of Biotechnology through the National Biopharma Mission

Q8. In the BioE3 Policy of the Department of Biotechnology, the term 'E3' precisely stands for which one of the following?

  • A. Economy, Environment and Employment
  • B. Economy, Ecology and Enterprise
  • C. Environment, Employment and Equity
  • D. Economy, Energy and Environment

Q9. How many autonomous institutions of the Department of Biotechnology were subsumed to create the apex Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC)?

  • A. 10
  • B. 12
  • C. 14
  • D. 16

Q10. The 'Roadmap for Building India as a Leading Bioeconomy Powerhouse by 2035', which sets India's long-term biotechnology growth targets, was prepared and released by which one of the following?

  • A. NITI Aayog
  • B. Department of Biotechnology
  • C. Ministry of Science and Technology
  • D. Reserve Bank of India

Q11. The 2035 bioeconomy roadmap, in the context of India's global standing in biotechnology, aims to place India among the world's top how many biotechnology powers?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Five
  • D. Ten

Q12. In the Department of Biotechnology's scheme 'Biotech-KISAN', the acronym KISAN precisely stands for which one of the following?

  • A. Krishi Innovation Science Application Network
  • B. Kisan Integrated Science and Agriculture Network
  • C. Knowledge and Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture Nationwide
  • D. Krishi Investment and Startup Acceleration Network