State PCS - Uttar Pradesh (UP PCS)

• 16 Jan 2026

India’s first legged mobile manipulator developed with IIT Kanpur’s support

Why in News?

Researchers at IIT Kanpur unveiled SCORP (Four-legged Collaborative Robotic Platform), India's first indigenous legged mobile manipulator.

Key Points:

• SCORP: It is India’s first legged mobile manipulator, a cutting-edge robot combining the mobility of a quadruped (“robot dog”) platform with the versatility of a robotic arm (manipulator). 
• Development: It has been developed by an Indian startup called xTerra Robotics with assistance from IIT Kanpur marking a significant milestone in the country’s robotics capabilities. 
• Manipulation Capability:Along with locomotion, SCORP carries a robotic arm that can grasp tools, inspect objects, and interact with the environment, extending its usefulness beyond simple movement. 
• Indigenous Technology: Developed under the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) at IIT Kanpur, the robot utilizes locally designed actuators and control systems, aligning with the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission. 
• Applications: SCORP is designed for high-risk environments such as disaster zones, industrial sites, tunnels, or areas unsafe for humans where its mobility and manipulation can reduce danger to human workers. 
  • Space Exploration: Future adaptations could serve as planetary rovers for exploring rocky lunar or Martian surfaces. 
• Significance: SCORP places India in an elite group of nations developing advanced legged robotics, reducing dependence on expensive imports. 

Read More: Atmanirbhar Bharat 

Gujarat to House India’s First State-Funded BSL-4 Lab for High-Risk Pathogens

Why in News? 

The foundation stone was laid for India’s first state-funded Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) laboratory in Gujarat. This facility marks a significant leap in India's decentralized high-containment research, previously limited to central government institutions.

Key Points: 

• Integrated Complex: The lab is designed as a multi-tier facility featuring BSL-4, BSL-3, and BSL-2 modules. 
• Animal Research: Crucially, it includes ABSL-3 and ABSL-4 (Animal Biosafety Level) modules, allowing scientists to study how deadly viruses interact with living organisms—a vital step in vaccine development. 
• Funding Model: Unlike India’s existing BSL-4 labs (such as the NIV in Pune), which are centrally funded by the ICMR, this is the first project of its kind to be financed and managed by a State Government. 
• Timeline: Planning for the high-containment hub began in mid-2022 following the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding local diagnostic self-reliance. 
• Pandemic Preparedness: The facility will allow Gujarat to identify and research "Disease X" or new viral outbreaks without having to send all samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, thereby saving critical response time. 
• One Health Approach: By integrating Animal Biosafety (ABSL) modules, the lab supports the "One Health" framework, recognizing the link between human, animal, and environmental health in preventing zoonotic spillover.

Biosafety Levels (BSL) 

• BSL-1 & BSL-2: Handle moderate-risk agents (like E. coli or common flu) that cause mild disease in humans. 
• BSL-3: Deals with indigenous or exotic agents that may cause serious or potentially lethal disease through inhalation (e.g., Tuberculosis, SARS-CoV-2). 
• BSL-4 (High Containment): Reserved for the most dangerous and exotic agents that pose a high risk of life-threatening disease, have no known vaccine or treatment, and can be transmitted via aerosols.  
• Examples include Ebola, Marburg, and Nipah viruses. 

Read More:National Institute of Virology, One Health Approach