Chapter Overview

Biotechnology (जैव प्रौद्योगिकी) is the use of living organisms, cells and their molecules to make products and services. Modern biotechnology rests on genetic engineering (आनुवंशिक अभियांत्रिकी) — cutting, pasting and now editing DNA. For CGPSC it is a reliable source of “science in news” MCQs in Prelims Paper I (CRISPR, GM mustard, mRNA vaccines, genome-edited rice) and of analytical questions in Mains Paper IV (GS-II) on applications in agriculture and medicine and on biosafety and ethics. Chhattisgarh supplies strong examples: a rice-based farm economy with a large gene bank at IGKV Raipur, and a heavy burden of sickle cell disease among tribal communities.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

Explain the tools of genetic engineering (restriction enzymes, ligase, vectors, PCR, gel electrophoresis) and the steps of recombinant DNA technology
Describe CRISPR-Cas9, gene therapy, stem cells, cloning (Dolly), DNA fingerprinting and genome projects (HGP, Genome India)
State the status of GM crops in India (Bt cotton, Bt brinjal, GM mustard) and explain why the 2025 genome-edited rice varieties are not “GM” in law
Match India’s vaccines to their platforms and explain monoclonal antibodies, molecular diagnostics and CAR-T therapy
Name the regulators (GEAC, RCGM, IBSC), the international protocols (Cartagena, Nagoya) and the BioE3 policy
Write balanced Mains answers on GM crops, gene editing and bioethics with a Chhattisgarh angle

Prerequisites

Life Science and Human Health — cells, genes, immunity and diseases
Agricultural Science — crops and farming practices that biotech improves

Learning Path

Follow the topics in this order:

graph TD
    A["1. Tools and rDNA Technology
enzymes, vectors, PCR,
gel electrophoresis"] --> B["2. Genome Editing and Genomics
CRISPR, gene therapy, stem cells,
cloning, DNA fingerprinting, Genome India"]
    B --> C["3. Agricultural Biotechnology
Bt cotton, GM mustard,
genome-edited rice, biofertilizers"]
    B --> D["4. Medical Biotechnology
insulin, vaccines, antibodies,
diagnostics, CAR-T"]
    C --> E["5. Regulation, Policy and Ethics
GEAC, Cartagena, Nagoya,
biopiracy, BioE3"]
    D --> E
    E --> F["Quick Revision
One-page sheet"]

Topics in This Chapter

#	Topic	What it covers
1	Genetic Engineering: Tools and Recombinant DNA Technology	Definitions, DNA basics, restriction enzymes, ligase, vectors, competent hosts, PCR, gel electrophoresis, bioreactors, the steps of rDNA technology
2	Genome Editing, Gene Therapy, Cloning and Genomics	CRISPR-Cas9 and SDN categories, Casgevy and BIRSA 101, gene therapy, stem cells, Dolly, DNA fingerprinting, Human Genome Project, Genome India
3	Agricultural Biotechnology	Bt toxin, Bt cotton, Bt brinjal, GM mustard DMH-11, genome-edited rice (2025), tissue culture, MAS, RNAi, biofertilizers, biopesticides, IGKV Raipur
4	Medical Biotechnology	Recombinant insulin and therapeutics, biosimilars, vaccine platforms and India’s COVID vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, diagnostics, CAR-T, sickle cell care
5	Regulation, Policy and Ethics	Rules of 1989, GEAC/RCGM/IBSC, Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols, biopiracy and TKDL, DBT, BIRAC, BioE3, bioeconomy, bioethics
—	Quick Revision	Every tool, crop, vaccine, regulator and date on one page

Where It Is Asked

Paper	What to expect
Prelims P-I (Part 1, India GS)	General-science and current-affairs MCQs: tools (“Taq polymerase comes from…”), “only GM crop approved in India”, GEAC’s ministry, vaccine platforms, CRISPR Nobel, Cartagena vs Nagoya. Statement-based and match-the-following formats are common
Mains P-IV (GS-II), Science and Applied Science	Short answers (define rDNA technology, monoclonal antibodies, biopiracy; GM vs genome-edited crops) and longer answers on applications in agriculture and medicine, biosafety regulation and bioethics

Exam focus

High-yield: Bt cotton (2002) as India’s only commercial GM crop; GM mustard’s 2024 split verdict; genome-edited rice (May 2025); GEAC under MoEFCC; ZyCoV-D (DNA) vs GEMCOVAC-19 (mRNA); CRISPR Nobel 2020 (Chemistry); Cartagena = biosafety, Nagoya = benefit-sharing.
Common mistakes: calling genome-edited rice a GM crop; putting GEAC under DBT; saying DNA moves to the cathode; calling Covaxin an mRNA vaccine.
Chhattisgarh angle for Mains: IGKV Raipur’s rice gene bank (over 23,500 lines) and BARC–IGKV Dubraj mutants; sickle cell screening and the Sickle Cell Institute, Raipur; biofertilizers for organic farming; State Biodiversity Board and benefit-sharing for tribal knowledge.

Quick Reference: Biotechnology at a Glance

Area	Key fact	Detail
rDNA origin	Cohen and Boyer, 1972–73	First recombinant DNA
Molecular scissors / glue	Restriction enzymes / DNA ligase	EcoRI cuts GAATTC
PCR	Kary Mullis, 1983	Taq polymerase from Thermus aquaticus
CRISPR-Cas9	Nobel Chemistry 2020	Charpentier and Doudna
Dolly	5 July 1996, Roslin Institute	Adult somatic cell, SCNT
Genome India	Data released 9 Jan 2025	10,074 genomes; IBDC Faridabad
Bt cotton	Approved 2002	India’s only commercial GM crop (as of 2026)
GM mustard DMH-11	GEAC Oct 2022; SC split verdict July 2024	Pending
Genome-edited rice	4 May 2025	DRR Dhan 100 Kamala; Pusa DST Rice 1
ZyCoV-D	Aug 2021	World’s first plasmid DNA COVID vaccine
GEMCOVAC-19	June 2022	India’s first mRNA vaccine
NexCAR19	Oct 2023	India’s first CAR-T therapy
BIRSA 101	Nov 2025	Indigenous CRISPR therapy for sickle cell
GEAC	MoEFCC	Environmental release of GMOs
BioE3	24 Aug 2024	Biomanufacturing policy; six sectors

Related chapters: Biodiversity and Conservation · Agriculture and Irrigation in Chhattisgarh · Tribes of Chhattisgarh · Fundamental Rights (privacy and genetic data)

Start Learning

Begin with the first topic:

→ Genetic Engineering: Tools and Recombinant DNA Technology