UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh Formalises Commercial Launch of Bio-based Biodegradable Plastic under BioE3
Q1. Consider the following:
1. Precision biotherapeutics
2. Carbon capture and its utilization
3. Green hydrogen production and storage
4. Futuristic marine and space research
Which of the above are correctly identified as strategic/thematic sectors under the BioE3 Policy?
- Precision biotherapeutics
- Carbon capture and its utilization
- Green hydrogen production and storage
- Futuristic marine and space research
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1, 2 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1 and 3 only
Q2. Which one of the following became the first State to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Biotechnology for a Centre-State partnership under the BioE3 Policy, including the setting up of a State BioE3 Cell?
- A. Odisha
- B. Karnataka
- C. Assam
- D. Himachal Pradesh
Q3. Under the BioEnablers component of the BioE3 Policy, a 'Biofoundry' is best described as a facility that:
- A. enables rapid design, build, test and learn cycles for engineering organisms and early scaling-up of proofs-of-concept
- B. offers shared pilot-scale and pre-commercial-scale infrastructure for industry to manufacture bio-based products in volume
- C. curates biological datasets and applies predictive analytics to accelerate discovery of bio-based products
- D. tests and certifies bio-based products for compostability before they are permitted into commercial circulation
Q4. The joint call for proposals for setting up 'मूलांकुर' (Moolankur) BioEnablers was issued by the Department of Biotechnology together with which one of the following?
- A. Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council, the apex autonomous research society of the Department
- B. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, the industry-interface agency of the Department
- C. Technology Development Board, the statutory body for commercialisation of indigenous technologies
- D. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the national network of laboratories for industrial research
Q5. Which one of the following is the lead industry partner for the BioE3-supported commercial launch of polylactic acid-based biodegradable plastic, with its pilot-scale facility coming up at Kumbhi in Uttar Pradesh?
- A. Triveni Engineering and Industries Limited
- B. Praj Industries Limited
- C. Balrampur Chini Mills Limited
- D. Dhampur Sugar Mills Limited
Q6. The biodegradable polymer being commercialised at the BioE3-supported facility at Kumbhi is best described as:
- A. a copolyester of adipic and terephthalic acids with butanediol, biodegradable but petroleum-derived
- B. a polyester synthesised and accumulated inside bacterial cells cultivated on a sugar feedstock
- C. a polyester obtained by polymerising lactic acid produced from fermented sugarcane-based sugars
- D. a thermoplastic obtained by blending native starch with glycerol and other plasticisers
Q7. Consider the following statements regarding bio-based and biodegradable plastics:
1. Polylactic acid is a thermoplastic polyester that is both bio-based and biodegradable.
2. Polyhydroxyalkanoates are polyesters synthesised by micro-organisms within their own cells.
3. Polybutylene adipate terephthalate is biodegradable, though it is conventionally derived from petrochemical feedstock.
4. Polylactic acid articles break down in ambient soil and in home composting at rates comparable to those under industrial composting.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Polylactic acid is a thermoplastic polyester that is both bio-based and biodegradable.
- Polyhydroxyalkanoates are polyesters synthesised by micro-organisms within their own cells.
- Polybutylene adipate terephthalate is biodegradable, though it is conventionally derived from petrochemical feedstock.
- Polylactic acid articles break down in ambient soil and in home composting at rates comparable to those under industrial composting.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4
Q8. India's first demonstration facility for biopolymers, developing indigenously integrated technology for the production of polylactic acid bioplastic at Jejuri near Pune, has been set up by which one of the following?
- A. Balrampur Chini Mills Limited, the sugar major expanding into bio-based materials
- B. CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, the polymer research institute located in Pune
- C. Indian Oil Corporation Limited, through its research and development centre for alternative materials
- D. Praj Industries Limited, the bioprocess engineering company headquartered in Pune
Q9. The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, which prohibit identified single-use plastic items and provide for Extended Producer Responsibility on plastic packaging, have been notified under which one of the following?
- A. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
- B. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
- C. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
- D. The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010
Q10. Consider the following statements about the support instruments of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC):
1. The Biotechnology Ignition Grant enables innovators and entrepreneurs to establish and validate a proof of concept for a promising technology idea.
2. BioNEST supports the setting up of bio-incubation centres that host and nurture biotech start-ups.
3. SBIRI is the cost-sharing government-industry partnership for viability gap funding of high-risk futuristic technologies, whereas BIPP helps companies carry a proof of concept towards early-stage validation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Biotechnology Ignition Grant enables innovators and entrepreneurs to establish and validate a proof of concept for a promising technology idea.
- BioNEST supports the setting up of bio-incubation centres that host and nurture biotech start-ups.
- SBIRI is the cost-sharing government-industry partnership for viability gap funding of high-risk futuristic technologies, whereas BIPP helps companies carry a proof of concept towards early-stage validation.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. The Ministry of Science and Technology has set a target of expanding India's bioeconomy to about US$300 billion by which one of the following years?
- A. 2028
- B. 2035
- C. 2030
- D. 2047
Q12. The Centre's 2025 scheme for cooperative sugar mills supports their conversion into 'multi-feed' ethanol plants. In this context, a multi-feed plant is one that can:
- A. supply ethanol to more than one oil marketing company under a common long-term offtake arrangement
- B. alternate between ethanol, potable alcohol and extra-neutral alcohol from the same molasses stream
- C. process sugarcane juice, B-heavy molasses and C-heavy molasses within a single distillation train
- D. produce ethanol from grain and other starch-bearing feedstock in addition to sugarcane-based feedstock