Previous Year UPSC Prelims Questions – Biology | Biotechnology

1. ‘Microsatellite DNA’ is used in the case of which one of the following? (2023)

2. Which one of the following statements best describes the role of B cells and T cells in the human body? (2022)

3. Consider the following statements:

1. Biofilms can form on medical implants within human tissues.
2. Biofilms can form on food and food processing surfaces.
3. Biofilms can exhibit antibiotic resistance.

Which of the statements given above are correct? (2022) 

4. Consider the following statements in respect of probiotics:

1. Probiotics are made of both bacteria and yeast.
2. The organisms in probiotics are found in foods we ingest but they do not naturally occur in our gut.
3. Probiotics help in the digestion of milk sugars.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (2022)

5. In the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent COVID-19 pandemic, consider the following statements:

1. The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield using mRNA platform.
2. Sputnik V vaccine is manufactured using vector based platform.
3. COVAXIN is an inactivated pathogen based vaccine.

Which of the statements given above are correct? (2022)

6. The term ‘ACE2’ is talked about in the context of [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]

7. With reference to recent developments regarding ‘Recombinant Vector Vaccines’, consider the following statements:

1. Genetic engineering is applied in the development of these vaccines.
2. Bacteria and viruses are used as vectors.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]

8. In the context of hereditary diseases, consider the following statements:

1. Passing on mitochondrial diseases from parent to child can be prevented by mitochondrial replacement therapy either before or after in vitro fertilization of egg.
2. A child inherits mitochondrial diseases entirely from mother and not from father.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]

9. Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies are mentioned in the context of [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]

10. Consider the following:

1. Bacteria
2. Fungi
3. Virus

Which of the above can be cultured in artificial/synthetic medium? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]

11. Consider the following statements:

1. Adenoviruses have single-stranded DNA genomes whereas retroviruses have double-stranded DNA genomes.
2. Common cold is sometime caused by an adenovirus whereas AIDS is caused by a retrovirus.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]

12. Consider the following statements:

1. Genetic changes can be introduced in the cells that produce eggs or sperms of a prospective parent.
2. A person’s genome can be edited before birth at the early embryonic stage.
3. Human induced pluripotent stem cells can be injected into the embryo of a pig.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

13. What is the importance of using Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in India?

1. These vaccines are effective against pneumonia as well as meningitis and sepsis.
2. Dependence on antibiotics that are not effective against drug-resistant bacteria can be reduced.
3. These vaccines have no side effects and cause no allergic reactions.

Select the correct answer using the code given below: [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

14. Which of the following statements are correct regarding the general difference between plant and animal cells?

1. Plant cells have cellulose cell walls whilst animal cells do not.
2. Plant cells do not have plasma membranes unlike animal cells which do.
3. Mature plant cell has one large vacuole whilst an animal cell has many small vacuoles.

Select the correct answer using the code given below: [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

15. In the context of recent advances of human reproductive technology, “Pronuclear Transfer” is used for [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]

16. With reference to the recent developments in science, which one of the following statements is not correct? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

17. ‘RNA interference (RNAi)’ technology has gained popularity in the last few years. Why?

1. It is used in developing gene silencing therapies.
2. It can be used in developing therapies for the treatment of cancer.
3. It can be used to develop hormone replacement therapies.
4. It can be used to produce crop plants that are resistant to viral pathogens.

Select the correct answer using the code given below. [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

18. Which of the following are the reasons for the occurrence of multi-drug resistance in microbial pathogens in India?

1. Genetic predisposition of some people
2. Taking incorrect doses of antibiotics to cure diseases
3. Using antibiotics in livestock farming
4. Multiple chronic diseases in some people

Select the correct answer using the code given below. [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

19. What is Cas9 protein that is often mentioned in news? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

20. Which one of the following statements is not correct? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2019 Prelims]

21. With reference to the Genetically Modified mustard (GM mustard) developed in India, consider the following statements:

1. GM mustard has the genes of a soil bacterium that give the plant the property of pest-resistance to a wide variety of pests.
2. GM mustard has the genes that allow the plant cross-pollination and hybridization.
3. GM mustard has been developed jointly by the IARI and Punjab Agricultural University.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]

22. Consider the following statements:

1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by ‘the same mosquito that transmits dengue.
2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]

23. What is the application of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Technology? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]

24. With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of ‘genome sequencing’, often seen in the news, be used in the immediate future?

1. Genome sequencing can be used to identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought tolerance in various crop plants.
2. This technique helps in reducing the time required to develop new varieties of crop plants.
3. It can be used to decipher the host-pathogen relationships in crops

Select the correct answer using the code given below: [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]

25. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

Viruses can infect

1. bacteria
2. fungi
3. plants

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

26. In the context of the developments in Bioinformatics, the term ‘transcriptome’, sometimes seen in the news, refers to

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]

27. H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]

28. With reference to the use of Nano-technology in health sector, which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Targeted drug delivery is made possible by nanotechnology.
2. Nanotechnology can largely contribute to gene therapy.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]

29. Lichens, which are capable of initiating ecological succession even on a bare rock, are actually a symbiotic association of

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

30. Which one of the following is the process involved in photosynthesis?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

31. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding vegetative propagation of plants?

1. Vegetative propagation produces clonal population.
2. Vegetative propagation helps in eliminating the virus.
3. Vegetative propagation can be practiced most of the year.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

32. Consider the following pairs:

Vitamin Deficiency disease

1. Vitamin C – Scurvy
2. Vitamin D – Rickets
3. Vitamin E – Night blindness

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

33. Consider the following techniques/phenomena:

1. Budding and grafting in fruit plants
2. Cytoplasmic male sterility
3. Gene silencing

Which of the above is/are used to create transgenic crops?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

34. Among the following organisms, which one does not belong to the class of other three?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

35. Consider the following statements:

1. Maize can be used for the production of starch.
2. Oil extracted from maize can be a feedstock for biodiesel.
3. Alcoholic beverages can be produced by using maize.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

36. Consider the following diseases

1. Diphtheria
2. Chickenpox
3. Smallpox

Which of the above diseases has/have been eradicated in India?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]

37. Consider the following:

1. Bats
2. Bears
3. Rodents

The phenomenon of hibernation can be observed in which of the above kinds of animals?

[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]