India's first indigenous mRNA vaccine platform was developed for which disease?

Explanation

GEMCOVAC-OM is linked to COVID-19 because PIB describes it as an Omicron-specific mRNA-based booster vaccine and states that India's first mRNA vaccine was developed using Gennova's indigenous platform technology. The same PIB release says the platform had funding support from DBT and BIRAC, and that the vaccine received Emergency Use Authorization from the office of the Drug Controller General of India. The first indigenous mRNA vaccine platform was not a general vaccine platform named in isolation, but one applied to India's COVID-19 vaccine effort, specifically GEMCOVAC-OM by Gennova.

Why the other options are wrong

• (A) Dengue is wrong because Press Information Bureau identifies India's first indigenous mRNA vaccine platform with Gennova's GEMCOVAC-OM, an Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster, not a dengue vaccine.
• (C) Malaria is wrong because India's first mRNA vaccine platform belongs to the COVID-19 vaccine programme, not to malaria immunisation.
• (D) Tuberculosis is wrong because GEMCOVAC-OM is described as an Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster, while no TB link is given for India's first mRNA platform.

Concept

This tests biotechnology in current Science and Technology, especially indigenous vaccine platforms and emergency-use approvals. RAS often asks such items because they connect health innovation, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and named Indian institutions or products.

Source

• Press Information Bureau

Related questions

• 3D printing technology is also known as:
• A Geiger-Müller counter is used to detect:
• A scramjet engine differs from a ramjet in that it:
• A seismograph is used to:
• A VPN (Virtual Private Network) primarily provides:
• According to the 26 April 2026 Department of Space release, what was the approximate number of Indian space startups by early 2026?