Transposons are:

The correct answer is Option (2) → Jumping genes

Option (1) House keeping genes — Incorrect. Housekeeping genes are genes that are expressed all the time in a cell, because they run its basic work, such as respiration. They stay at their place in the chromosome.

Option (2) Jumping genes — Correct. Transposons are mobile genetic elements: stretches of DNA that can move from one place in the genome to another. Because they “jump” to new positions, they are called jumping genes. NCERT mentions transposons that replicate via an RNA intermediate as one source of the double-stranded RNA in RNA interference.

Option (3) Transporting gene — Incorrect. There is no such class of genes; a transposon moves itself, it does not transport anything.

Option (4) Stationary gene — Incorrect. There is no such class of genes, and “stationary” is the opposite of what a transposon does.