On Tuesday, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar emphasized once again the need for Patna University (PU) to be granted the status of a central university. He expressed this during the inauguration of the renovated Wheeler Senate Hall of PU on Teachers’ Day, alongside Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. Nitish urged the governor to make efforts towards obtaining central university status for PU.
During the event, the governor and the CM jointly inaugurated the Teachers’ Day function of Patna University by lighting the traditional lamp. They also honored retired and working teachers, as well as employees of PU, by presenting them with ‘Angvastram’ and mementoes.
Nitish mentioned his longstanding desire for Patna University to become a central university, stating that even though it is the seventh oldest university, it has not yet been granted this status. He emphasized his own efforts in upgrading the Bihar Engineering College, where he studied, to a National Institute of Technology (NIT). The CM also informed that his government has allocated 125 acres of land for the new NIT-Patna campus.
“In 2017, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Patna University for its centenary year function, I urged him to grant it central university status, but our demand was not accepted,” Nitish said. He further requested officials to present the proposal for PU’s development during the cabinet meeting held on the same day. Later, the cabinet approved the construction of a science block and girls’ hostel in Patna University.
