UPSC Mains 2021 GS3 Q15 — Applied Biotechnology
What are the research and developmental achievements in applied biotechnology ? How will these achievements help to uplift the poorer sections of the society ? (Answer in 250 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- WhatHow
- Scope keywords
- research and developmental achievementsapplied biotechnologyuplift the poorer sectionssociety
- Implicit sub-parts
- Identification of key breakthroughs in Red (Medical), Green (Agriculture), and White (Industrial) Biotechnology.
- The translation of 'lab-to-land'—how scientific achievements specifically address the vulnerabilities of the poor.
- The role of affordability and accessibility in ensuring biotechnology reaches the marginalized sections.
- Common pitfalls
- Listing general scientific concepts (like DNA structure) instead of specific applied 'achievements' like CRISPR-Cas9 or Golden Rice.
- Failing to bridge the gap between a high-tech achievement and its specific 'upliftment' potential for the poor.
- Focusing only on healthcare while ignoring agricultural and environmental biotech which are critical for rural poverty.
- Writing a generic essay on biotechnology without mentioning Indian initiatives like Department of Biotechnology (DBT) success stories.
- Dimensions required
- Agricultural (Food Security)Healthcare (Affordable Medicine)Environmental (Waste-to-Wealth)Economic (Livelihood creation)Nutritional (Hidden Hunger)
- Marks allocation hint
Dedicate approximately 100 words to specific R&D achievements like recombinant vaccines, bio-fortified crops, and molecular diagnostics. Use the remaining 150 words to explicitly link these to socio-economic upliftment, such as reduced out-of-pocket health expenditure, improved crop yields for small farmers, and cleaner living environments for urban poor.
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