Patna: Patna Science College, one of the oldest and prestigious institutions of Patna University, on Monday gifted a canteen to students and teachers after over four decades.

The canteen, an initiative of Patna Science College principal B.K. Mishra, was inaugurated by Patna University vice-chancellor Rash Bihari Prasad Singh.

The canteen located on the college campus adjacent to the college gymnasium will serve snacks, tea and coffee at subsidised rates.

The students and teachers who were part of the inauguration, were happy with the new facility.

Krishnakant, a second-year undergraduate geology student, said: "Canteen, stationery shops are some of the basic facilities that a college should have, we are happy that the college is opening a canteen." The teachers of Patna Science College recall that the college is getting a canteen after more than four decades.

Shankar Kumar, a physics teacher said: "In 1984 when I took admission at Patna Science College at Intermediate at that time too there was no canteen. When I joined college as teacher we heard talks about college/university administration planning to set up a canteen on the college premises but it never materialised."

The students are happy now they don't have to depend upon roadside eateries or hotels for snacks and tea. Mohammed Asif, another student of the geology department said: "The canteen will be a great help for students as apart from tea, coffee and snacks, it will provide foods at subsidised rates. We expect that the food provided at the canteen will be of good quality and hygienic." A Patna-based businessman having chains of hotels and restaurants in capital has taken the tender for running the canteen.

Apart from the canteen, a stationery shop was also opened. The shop will be run by Kumar Vivekanand, a former student of Patna Science College. Kumar Vivekanand said: "We will also have a photocopy machine so that students will not have to go outside."

Patna Science College principal BK Mishra said: "In my short tenure, I decided to provide basic facilities which the college lacks. For opening canteen and stationery shop, the college administration had to do a little bit hard work but the two facilities can be beneficial for students."

According to sources, the college administration has decided to open canteen and stationary shops as the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (Naac) team assesses facilities provided by the college to its students.