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Bihar eases rules to invite private universities

State currently has 13 government universities, including regular, technical and agriculture varsities

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At present the gross enrolment in Bihar is 13.9 as against national average of 24
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In a bid to attract private educational groups to the state, Bihar has eased some of the norms of Bihar Private Universities Act, 2013.

The Bihar Private Universities Amendment Bill, 2017, was passed unanimously in state legislative Assembly on Wednesday, permitting new universities to commence their operations from temporary or rented campuses, if they met all other provisions of the Act.

“The move aims to improve the quality of higher education in the state,” Bihar education minister Ashok Choudhary said, while tabling the Bill in the Assembly on Wednesday.

At present, the gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education in Bihar is 13.9 as against the national average of around 24. “While the GER has improved from last year’s 13, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has a target of achieving 30 by the end of 2020, and we are committed towards attaining it,” he added.

Following the amendment, new universities will be able to start their operations from a 5,000 square metre temporary or rented campus, as against the earlier requirement of 10,000 square metre building area, if it meets all other conditions mentioned in the Letter of Intent (LoI). “This is important so that institutions of national and international repute come to Bihar and our students get a chance to study there,” Choudhary said.

Also, the two-year period given to the universities for filing their compliance report in the 2013 Act, has been extended by another two years. “This means, the new varsities will have a total of four years, from the date of issuance of LoI, to fulfill all required norms,” an education department official said.

Choudhary said the norms were relaxed after seeing the problems faced by private universities in acquiring land, construction of building and other infrastructure facilities.

Bihar currently has a total of 13 government universities, including regular, technical, open and agriculture universities. However, no private varsity is functional in the state despite the Bihar Private Universities Act coming into effect in 2013. “There are more than a dozen proposals pending with the state education department at different levels. Few are likely to be approved soon,” the education department official said.

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