Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh Announces India’s First Engineering Biology Course

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh today announced the introduction of India’s first Engineering Biology course, describing it as a significant step towards building an independent and sovereign biotechnology ecosystem capable of supporting the country’s long-term scientific, healthcare and economic aspirations.

Addressing the launch of the roadmap on “Building India as a Leading Bioeconomy Powerhouse by 2035”, the Minister said that Engineering Biology would emerge as a foundational discipline for the next phase of India’s bioeconomy, much like Computer Science drove the digital revolution. He informed that IITs have already begun submitting proposals for interdisciplinary programmes with medical institutions, reflecting the growing convergence of engineering, biology and healthcare.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, said India is today among the world’s fastest-growing bioeconomies, registering 15–18 per cent annual growth. He noted that the country has developed nearly 100 bio-incubators and more than 10,000 biotechnology companies, supported by progressive policy initiatives including the BioE3 Policy.

Prof. Gobardhan Das, Member, NITI Aayog, said India is witnessing a defining moment in biotechnology comparable to previous industrial revolutions. He noted that the country’s bioeconomy has grown nearly 16-fold over the past decade contributing 4.8 per cent to the national GDP.(UPDATED ON 16TH JULY 2026)