Free hand: Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology. Picture by Prakash Kumar

Muzaffarpur, Aug. 28: Two premier colleges, one each in Muzaffarpur and Bhagalpur would become autonomous from the next academic session (2012-13).

National Project Implementation Unit, of the Union ministry of science and technology department has selected Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology (MIT) and Bhagalpur Engineering College (BEC) for an overall development, upgrade of technical education and providing an autonomous status under the quality implementation programme of phase 2.

Once the two engineering colleges become autonomous, the students would be able to take the examinations, which would be conducted independently by the two colleges.

Moreover, the colleges would also be able to publish their results on their own.

Arun Kumar Mishra, the web portal co-ordinator of the engineering colleges in Bihar, told The Telegraph: “MIT and BEC have been selected under the quality implementation programme under the national project implementation unit of the central government.”

He pointed out that the World Bank funds the implementation unit.

“Therefore, the two engineering colleges would now get a monetary assistance of Rs 10 crore each for innovative researches and improving the quality of technical education,” Mishra added.

The science and technology department of the state government had sent the proposal for the selection of various engineering colleges in different districts under quality implementation programme, but the Centre has accepted only the proposals of MIT and BEC.

Under the quality implementation programme, the two engineering colleges would be able to conduct the examinations and also publish results on their own.

Besides, the colleges would soon constitute its own appointment board to recruit teachers and technical faculty.

Mishra said the director of science and technology department of the state government informed the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), New Delhi, about the development.

The principals of the two colleges have also been asked to complete the necessary formalities.

The state government will now seek the consent of the University Grants Commission regarding the autonomy to the two colleges by the end of this year. Once this is done, the colleges would get the World Bank funding of Rs 10 crore each.