Union minister Jitendra Singh has launched Biological Research Regulatory Approval Portal (BioRRAP). 

What is the purpose of BioRRAP?

• Biotechnology has fast emerged as an academic and livelihood avenue for youngsters in India. 

• There are over 2,700 biotech startups and more than 2,500 biotech companies working at present in the country.

• India is among the top 12 destinations for biotechnology globally and third largest biotechnology destination in the Asia Pacific region. 

• By 2025, the contribution of the Indian biotechnology industry in the global biotechnology market is expected to grow to 19 per cent from 3 per cent in 2017. The bio-economy’s contribution to the national GDP has also grown steadily in the past years to 2.7 per cent in 2020 from 1.7 per cent in 2017.

• The department of biotechnology (DBT) has developed the Biological Research Regulatory Approval Portal (BioRRAP) to track the regulatory approvals for a research proposal on a single portal. This will provide more credibility and recognition to such biological research.

• Earlier, there was no mechanism to track the requisite regulatory approval for a research proposal on a single portal.

• BioRRAP provides a single route to direct the applicant to regulatory agencies providing requisite approval relevant to biological research. 

• Based on a succinct set of questions responded in affirmative by the applicant, the list of regulatory agencies from whom approvals may be required for biological research, is determined and attached to the unique BioRRAP ID generated on the submission.

• This portal will strengthen inter-departmental synergies and increase efficiency in functioning of agencies regulating various aspects of biological research. 

• This will streamline the regulatory process and affirm ease of doing biological science.

• It is a step towards Ease of Doing Science and scientific research in India. 

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