Patna, Oct. 22: The state cabinet today gave its nod for the issuance of “letter of intent” to set up Amity University, the first private varsity in the state.
Confirming the development, cabinet principal secretary Brajesh Mehrotra told reporters that the cabinet took 27 decisions, including clearance to the education department’s proposal to set up the state’s maiden private university at Bihta in Patna. The cabinet had given its nod to the Private University Bill on March 25, 2013. It was passed in the Assembly the same year on April 2, opening the doors to private universities in a state from where lakhs of students move out every year in search of quality higher education.
Amity Global Business School, a private university, has campuses in Noida, Lucknow, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Gwalior and Dubai. The varsity has been given 10 acres of land at Dumri (Bihta), 40km west of Patna. Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority acquired the plot and handed it over to the private university.
The cabinet also gave its nod for signing a memorandum of understanding to set up three medical colleges at Samastipur, Saran and Purnea under a centrally sponsored programme in the Twelfth Five Year Plan, Mehrotra said, adding that the central and the state governments would share 75 per cent and 25 per cent of the expenditure, respectively.
The cabinet also decided to extend the same quantum of stipend/scholarship to the students of Indira Gandhi Cardiology Institute (IGIC), who are pursuing super specialty course in cardiology. Mehrotra said the cardiology students would now get stipend at par with the postgraduate medical students of the state.
The education department’s proposal for creation of six new teaching posts for newly created departments of biochemistry and rural studies in Patna University were also cleared. Mehrotra said the cabinet had given its nod for the creation of two posts each of professor, associate professor and assistant professor.
The cabinet also decided to put a ban on lease for carrying out mining in areas of archaeological importance, forests and tourist sites, he said.
