Official Question UPSC 2026
Which of the following statements with regard to GenomeIndia Project is/are correct ? 1. It is a part of the Human Genome Project. 2. The project is funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India. 3. Its primary aim is to build a catalogue of genetic diversity of the Indian population. Select the answer using the code given below :
Solution & Analysis
Answer: B
Let us analyze the structure of this biotechnology initiative based on the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) official mandate:
•Statement 1 is Incorrect: The GenomeIndia Project (launched in 2020) is a strictly independent, pan-India initiative. It is not a part of the historic international Human Genome Project (which successfully concluded in 2003). GenomeIndia was conceived precisely because the original global project severely underrepresented South Asian genetics.
•Statement 2 is Correct: The project is a massive indigenous effort fully funded and spearheaded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Government of India, coordinating with over 20 premier research institutions.
•Statement 3 is Correct: The fundamental scientific goal is to sequence 10,000 whole genomes across 99 distinct ethnic and linguistic groups. This creates a comprehensive reference catalogue of the genetic diversity of the Indian population, which is crucial for advancing localized predictive and precision medicine.
Conclusion: Statements 2 and 3 correctly describe the project.