Identify the correct statement with respect to clones:

The correct answer is Option (3) → Morphologically and genetically identical

Option (1) Morphologically identical and genetically non-identical — Incorrect. Clones come from one parent by asexual reproduction, so they are genetically identical as well as alike in form. They are not genetically non-identical.

Option (2) Morphologically non-identical and genetically identical — Incorrect. Clones are genetically identical and so also look alike; they are morphologically identical, not different.

Option (3) Morphologically and genetically identical — Correct. A clone is a group of individuals that are morphologically and genetically identical, because they come from a single parent by asexual reproduction.

Option (4) Morphologically and genetically non-identical — Incorrect. This describes offspring of sexual reproduction, which differ in genes and form. Clones are identical in both.

Note: This question is from Chapter 1, Reproduction in Organisms, of the pre-rationalised NCERT book. This chapter is not in the present NCERT book (2026-27). The extract below is from the pre-rationalised edition.

NCERT Extract (Pre-rationalised edition, Chapter 1, Reproduction in Organisms):
Sexual Reproduction – “… When two parents (opposite sex) participate in the reproductive process and also involve fusion of male and female gametes, it is called sexual reproduction. 1.1 ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION In this method, a single individual (parent) is capable of producing offspring. As a result, the offspring that are produced are not only identical to one another but are also exact copies of their parent. … The term clone is used to describe such morphologically and genetically similar individuals.”