MPPSC 2020 Prelims Q47: Where is the National Institute of Virology

Q: What is the answer to MPPSC 2020 Prelims Q47?

A. Correct — A, Pune. The National Institute of Virology (NIV) is located in Pune, Maharashtra. It is a premier institute of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), set up in 1952 as the Virus Research Centre and renamed NIV in 1978. A WHO Collaborating Centre, it led India's isolation and study of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus and has been the national reference lab during Nipah, Zika and other viral outbreaks.

MPPSC 2020 Prelims Paper-I · Question 47 of 100

Verified against the official question paper. Answer as per the official MPPSC answer key.

Where is the National Institute of Virology situated?

(a)Pune
(b)Hyderabad
(c)Mumbai
(d)Lucknow

Answer

Why

Correct — A, Pune. The National Institute of Virology (NIV) is located in Pune, Maharashtra. It is a premier institute of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), set up in 1952 as the Virus Research Centre and renamed NIV in 1978. A WHO Collaborating Centre, it led India's isolation and study of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus and has been the national reference lab during Nipah, Zika and other viral outbreaks.

Why the others are wrong

(b)Hyderabad — Hyderabad hosts institutes such as CCMB and the National Institute of Nutrition — but not the NIV.
(c)Mumbai — Mumbai has the Haffkine Institute and Tata Memorial/ACTREC, not the National Institute of Virology.
(d)Lucknow — Lucknow has the CSIR–Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) and SGPGIMS, not the NIV.

Concept

The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, is India's apex laboratory for the diagnosis and research of viral diseases. Under ICMR, it operates a BSL-4 (highest bio-safety) facility and serves as the national reference centre for identifying novel and dangerous viruses during outbreaks.

Institute-to-city matching is a recurring MPPSC/UPSC theme. Anchor NIV to Pune; note that Pune is a wider science hub — it also hosts the Serum Institute of India (vaccines) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.

Key facts

NIV Pune — under ICMR; founded 1952 as the Virus Research Centre, renamed 1978.
Runs a BSL-4 lab; national reference centre for COVID-19, Nipah, Zika, etc.
A WHO Collaborating Centre for arboviruses and haemorrhagic-fever viruses.
Pune also houses the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine maker.

Study next

ICMR institutes and their cities (NIV Pune, NIN Hyderabad, NIRRCH Mumbai)Bio-safety levels BSL-1 to BSL-4Serum Institute of India & India's vaccine ecosystemMajor viral diseases: COVID-19, Nipah, Zika, dengueDisease surveillance & the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP)

Common traps

Confusing NIV (Pune) with the National Institute of Nutrition (Hyderabad) or the Haffkine Institute (Mumbai)
Placing NIV in Delhi because ICMR headquarters is in Delhi

Asked as 'where is institute X located' or 'match institute -> city'. Keep a mental table of India's premier science institutes and their host cities.

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Practice

practice — not a real PYQ
The National Institute of Virology, Pune functions under which body?
- (a)ICMR
- (b)CSIR
- (c)DRDO
- (d)ISRO
Answer(a) ICMR — the Indian Council of Medical Research.
practice — not a real PYQ
Which city hosts the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume?
- (a)Pune
- (b)Hyderabad
- (c)Chennai
- (d)Ahmedabad
Answer(a) Pune — home to both NIV and the Serum Institute.