UPSC Static Quiz – Environment : 15 June 2026

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is correct. Biopiracy is not merely the theft of a physical resource; it is fundamentally about the appropriation of resources and knowledge through legal mechanisms like patents. By obtaining a patent, a corporation gains exclusive monopoly rights over a resource or knowledge that was often developed and nurtured over generations by indigenous or local communities, without their consent or any form of compensation. This use of IPR systems is a key characteristic of modern biopiracy.
• Statement 2 is correct. The case of a US company, RiceTec, being granted a patent in 1997 for rice lines with characteristics similar to traditional Indian Basmati rice is a classic and frequently cited example of biopiracy. India successfully challenged parts of this patent, arguing that these characteristics were not novel but were part of the collective heritage and knowledge of Indian farmers.
• Statement 3 is correct. The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) is an innovative initiative by India, created by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It is a database containing documented traditional knowledge, especially about medicinal plants and formulations from Indian systems of medicine. Its primary purpose is to act as a defensive mechanism against biopiracy by making this knowledge accessible to international patent offices. This prevents the erroneous granting of patents on non-original inventions by proving “prior art”.

Solution: A

• Statement 1 is incorrect. The Cartagena Protocol applies to the transboundary movement of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs), which are defined as any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through modern biotechnology and is capable of transferring or replicating that material. It explicitly does not cover products derived from LMOs, such as cooking oil or starch, which are not themselves “living” and cannot replicate. These are considered outside its scope.
• Statement 2 is correct. The Cartagena Protocol is explicitly based on the precautionary principle, as enshrined in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration. This principle is a cornerstone of the agreement. It allows a party to take decisions to avoid or minimize potential adverse effects even if there is a lack of full scientific certainty about the extent of those effects. This empowers countries, particularly developing nations, to be cautious when considering the import of LMOs.
• Statement 3 is incorrect. In India, the responsibility for monitoring instances of illegal cultivation of GM crops lies with the State Biotechnology Coordination Committees (SBCCs) and District Level Committees (DLCs), which are constituted under the Rules, 1989 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Complaints received by GEAC are forwarded to the Chief Secretary of the concerned state, who chairs the SBCC. The NBA’s mandate is related to the implementation of the Biological Diversity Act, not the direct field monitoring of illegal GM crops.

Solution: C

Option (c) provides the most accurate and comprehensive definition of Bioprospecting. It is a systematic and often scientific exploration of biodiversity to find commercially useful genetic and biochemical resources. This process includes collection, screening, research, and development of products for various sectors like pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and cosmetics. The term implies a planned and often legitimate search, which, when conducted ethically, involves benefit-sharing agreements.

Option (a) describes Biopiracy, which is the unethical and illegal counterpart of bioprospecting, characterized by the lack of authorization and fair compensation.

Option (b) describes Genetic Modification or genetic engineering, a specific tool of biotechnology used to create Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). While findings from bioprospecting might lead to genetic modification, the terms are not synonymous.

Option (d) describes the objective of Biosafety regulations, which are operationalized internationally through the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Bioprospecting is about finding resources, while biosafety is about managing the risks of the technologies that might use those resources.

Solution: C

• Statement 1 is incorrect. A transgenic organism is one that contains a gene or genes which have been artificially inserted from a different species. While many GMOs are transgenic, it is not a necessary condition. Genetic modification can also involve altering, deleting, or silencing an organism’s existing genes without introducing a gene from another species. Therefore, all transgenic organisms are GMOs, but not all GMOs are transgenic.
• Statement 2 is correct. RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural cellular process that silences gene expression. This mechanism has been harnessed in biotechnology to create pest-resistant plants. For instance, in developing nematode-resistant tobacco, genes are introduced into the plant that produce double-stranded RNA corresponding to a vital nematode gene. When the nematode feeds on the plant, it ingests this dsRNA, which triggers RNAi, silencing the target gene and killing the pest.

Statement 3 is correct. Gene therapy is a technique that aims to treat or cure genetic disorders by correcting the underlying genetic problem. The most common approach involves introducing a normal, functional copy of a gene into the cells of an individual who has a defective or missing copy of that gene. The example of treating Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) deficiency by introducing the functional ADA gene into a patient’s lymphocytes is a classic illustration of this principle.

Solution: B

• Statement 1 is correct. One of the key applications of genetic modification in agriculture is to enhance the nutritional value of food. The most prominent example is ‘Golden Rice’, which is genetically engineered to produce beta-carotene, a precursor of Vitamin A. This is aimed at combating Vitamin A deficiency in populations that rely heavily on rice as a staple food.
• Statement 2 is correct. A major category of GM crops is pest-resistant crops, such as Bt cotton and Bt corn. These plants are engineered with a gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that produces a protein toxic to certain insect pests. By producing their own insecticide, these crops can significantly reduce the need for farmers to apply external chemical pesticides, which can have environmental and health benefits.
• Statement 3 is incorrect. The regulatory process for GM crops in India is stringent and controversial. While several GM food crops, such as Bt brinjal and DMH-11 mustard, have undergone extensive field trials and have even been recommended for release by the GEAC at various points, they have faced regulatory hurdles and political opposition. As of now, Bt cotton is the only GM crop that has been officially approved for commercial cultivation in India.