Genome India Project — UPSC Prelims PYQ 2026

Which of the following statements with regard to Genome India 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:

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The Genome India Project, initiated in 2020, is not a part of the Human Genome Project. The Human Genome Project was an international initiative completed earlier to map the entire human genome, whereas the Genome India Project is an independent Indian initiative focused on India’s population genetics.
  • Human Genome Project is a publicly funded international collaborative research project aimed at: Determining the sequence of chemical base pairs which make up human DNA, & Identifying & mapping all of the genes of the human genome. It was formally launched in 1990 and finally declared complete in 2003.

Statement 2 is correct

• The Genome India Project is funded and coordinated by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

Statement 3 is correct

• The primary aim of the Genome India Project is to create a comprehensive catalogue of the genetic diversity of the Indian population, which can support precision medicine, disease research, and public health planning.

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Medium