Question
Which of the following statements with regard to GenomeIndia 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.
Explanation
The GenomeIndia Project is India’s own large-scale effort to understand the country’s genetic diversity. It was conceived to address the limited representation of Indian populations in global genomic databases.
Statement 1 — Incorrect: The GenomeIndia Project is an independent Indian initiative launched in 2020. It is not part of the international Human Genome Project, which was completed in 2003. Instead, GenomeIndia was inspired by the earlier project while focusing specifically on India’s genetic diversity.
Statement 2 — Correct: The project is funded and led by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Statement 3 — Correct: Its main objective is to map India’s genetic diversity and create a representative genomic database. The project sequenced 10,000 whole genomes from 99 population groups across India, providing a reference for studying Indian genetic variation.
Therefore, Statements 2 and 3 are correct.