SSC Stenographer 2026 PYQ — Question 49

Solution: The correct answer is Editing the sickle cell gene in an Indian patient.
Explanation:
☛ Scientists at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) in New Delhi achieved a major breakthrough in 2024 by using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to edit the defective gene responsible for sickle cell anaemia in an Indian patient context.
☛ Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder caused by a single point mutation in the HBB gene on chromosome 11, leading to abnormal haemoglobin production.
☛ The researchers utilized an indigenously developed, highly specific CRISPR variant (such as engineered FnCas9) to correct the mutation with minimal off-target effects.
☛ This advancement marks a vital milestone in developing indigenous and affordable gene therapies for genetic disorders in India.
Extra Exam-Relevant Facts:
☛ CRISPR-Cas9: Stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9, a precise molecular tool used for gene editing.
☛ Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2020): Awarded to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna for developing the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing method.
☛ National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission: Launched in 2023 from Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, with the target to eliminate sickle cell disease by 2047.
☛ CSIR-IGIB: A premier scientific research institute under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), located in New Delhi.
Important One-Liners for Upcoming Exams:
☛ Which gene is mutated in sickle cell anaemia? → HBB gene
☛ What target year has India set to eliminate sickle cell anaemia? → 2047
☛ From which state was the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission launched in 2023? → Madhya Pradesh
☛ Who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020 for gene editing? → Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna
☛ Where is the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) located? → New Delhi