CM Nitish Kumar demands central status for Patna University, gets no reaction from PM Modi

Addressing the centenary function of the University while indicating towards PM Modi, CM Nitish Kumar said, “People of Bihar are looking forward to PM Modi with hope that you will announce central university status to Patna University.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the foundation stone laying ceremony of projects under Namami Gange and National Highway in Bihar. (Source: PTI)

However, the PM bypassed the request and made no announcement as such, instead he responded to the request saying, “Nitish Kumar has demanded for central university status to Patna University during his address, which was applauded by the gathering present here, but I would suggest for a step ahead of the central university status.”

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Modi announced a Rs 10000-crore corpus for development of top Indian universities so as to bring them at par with world-class institutions. He went on to add, “I am here to invite Patna University to become part of education reform by its good performance. Patna University should involve its alumni to develop it and ensure that it becomes one of the 10 government-owned universities that would be selected under an ambitious programme to make them world-class universities.”

There has been continuous demands from politicians, faculty, administration, and students of the Patna University for the status of Central University in the past. Modi, on the occasion, said that time has changed and there is an urgent need for educational reform in India. “Till date reform in education is very slow. It should be speeded up,” said Modi who is the first Prime Minister to visit Patna University. It had been expected that Modi may announce central university status to Patna University after Nitish Kumar joined hands with the BJP and formed the government in July.

Modi, who was on his first official visit to the state post-Nitish Kumar’s alignment with the NDA after severing ties with the grand alliance, announced projects worth Rs 3700 crore in the state along with the Rs 10,000-crore fund for development of world-class institutions.

With IANS inputs