Relevance: GS III (Science & Technology & Agriculture) | Source: The Hindu

1. The Core Issue: A Divided Public Perception

Today, biology is not just about observing nature; it is about actively engineering it. However, society reacts very differently depending on where this science is used:

• Accepted in Medicine: People happily accept genetic engineering for healthcare. For example, using Gene Therapy to cure diseases or making synthetic insulin in labs. Because this happens in safe, closed laboratories, the public trusts it.
• Resisted in Agriculture: In contrast, the exact same science is fiercely opposed when used to grow food (like Genetically Modified or GM crops), even though they have been consumed safely worldwide for decades.

2. Why do People Oppose GM Crops?

The resistance is rarely about the core science. It comes from genuine social, economic, and environmental fears:

• The “Open Release” Fear: Unlike medicines made in secure labs, GM crops are planted in open fields. People fear “gene flow”—the risk that modified genes might accidentally mix with wild plants and create uncontrollable super-weeds.
• Corporate Monopoly: Poor farmers fear that large multinational companies (“Big Seed”) will control all seed patents. This could trap Indian farmers in a cycle of debt, forcing them to buy expensive seeds every farming season.
• The “Natural” Myth: There is a common misunderstanding that traditional farming is 100% “natural and safe,” while lab-based science is “unnatural and dangerous.”

3. The Challenge of Administration (The Regulatory Dilemma)

The article compares regulation to driving a chariot.

• If the administration only focuses on restricting and banning things, the wheels of innovation get stuck, and farmers suffer.
• On the other hand, having zero rules invites disaster.
• The Goal: Regulatory bodies must evolve. Instead of just acting as strict “gatekeepers,” they must become “enablers” who safely guide new agricultural technologies forward.

4. The Way Forward for India

India faces unpredictable monsoons, rising temperatures, and a massive population. We urgently need climate-resilient crops to ensure National Food Security. To achieve this, the administration must:

• Fund Public Research: Heavily fund government institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). If the government creates GM seeds, they remain affordable and publicly owned, destroying the fear of corporate monopolies.
• Adopt Agile Policies: Keep the rules flexible and strictly based on science, similar to how the government recently relaxed rules for simpler gene-edited crops.

The Trap 

• The “Gene Editing vs. GM” Trap: An exam statement might say, “India applies the exact same strict rules for simple gene-edited crops as it does for complex GM crops like Bt Cotton.” Incorrect. The government has officially relaxed rules for simple gene-editing (SDN-1 and SDN-2, which do not use foreign DNA), while keeping strict rules for transgenic crops (SDN-3, which use foreign bacterial genes).

UPSC Value Box

Key Concept / Body	Simple Meaning
GEAC	Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee. The supreme statutory body under the MoEFCC that approves the commercial release of GM crops in India.
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986	The main legal framework that gives the GEAC the power to regulate hazardous micro-organisms and genetically engineered crops.
SDN Technology	Site-Directed Nuclease. A precision tool used to edit genes. India has relaxed rules for SDN-1 and SDN-2 (which just tweak existing genes) but strictly regulates SDN-3 (which adds foreign genes).

With reference to the regulatory framework for biotechnology and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in India, consider the following statements:

1. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
2. The GEAC functions under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.
3. In India, crops developed using SDN-1 and SDN-2 gene-editing technologies are exempt from the stringent regulations applied to transgenic GM crops.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)