Q.GEAC stands for:

GEAC stands for Genetic Engineering Approval Committee. This is the apex body in India that reviews and grants permission for research involving genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the release of GM products into the environment. It operates under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The committee's role is to ensure the safe use of genetic engineering technology, especially in agriculture and food production. For example, any company wanting to commercially grow a GM crop like Bt cotton must get clearance from GEAC.

To understand what GEAC is, you first need to understand the context of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). When scientists take a gene from one species — say a bacterium — and insert it into the DNA of a crop plant like cotton, they create a GMO. This is a powerful technology, but it also raises serious questions: Could the modified plant harm insects that are not pests? Could its pollen spread to wild relatives and create "superweeds"? Could the foreign protein cause allergies in humans?

Because the stakes are high, no country allows GMOs to be released into the environment or sold as food without a rigorous safety assessment. In India, that job falls to a specific committee under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The GEAC is the apex regulatory body for all activities involving GMOs and hazardous microorganisms. Its core function is to approve or reject proposals for:

• Large-scale field trials of genetically modified crops.
• Commercial release of GM crops (like Bt cotton, which is the only GM crop currently allowed for cultivation in India).
• Import, export, or manufacture of GM products.
• Use of GM organisms in pharmaceuticals or industrial processes.

Before the GEAC gives a green light, it examines data from multiple angles: environmental impact (will it harm soil microbes or beneficial insects?), food safety (is the protein digestible and non-allergenic?), and agricultural efficacy (does it actually reduce pesticide use?). The committee includes scientists, ecologists, and representatives from ministries like Agriculture and Health.

Now, look at the options given in the question. Option (A) "Genome Engineering Action Committee" sounds plausible but is not the official name — "Genome Engineering" is a narrower term than "Genetic Engineering," and "Action" is not the right word. Option (B) "Ground Environment Action Committee" is completely unrelated — "Ground Environment" is not a standard term in this context. Option (D) "Genetic and Environment Approval committee" is close but incorrect because the official name uses "Engineering" not "and Environment," and the order of words matters.

Only option (C) matches exactly: Genetic Engineering Approval Committee.

Method — decode the acronym literally, word by word

G-E-A-C = Genetic + Engineering + Approval + Committee.

Cross-check each option against this: (a) swaps "Engineering→Genome" and "Approval→Action" (wrong words); (b) is unrelated wording; (d) reorders/renames the words. Only (c) reproduces the exact expansion the textbook gives → (c).