The state government has okayed the transfer of over 100 acres of land to Mahatma Gandhi Central University of Bihar, Motihari, for the varsity to set up its own campus.

The central university, which became functional last year, runs from a temporary campus on the premises of Motihari Zila School.

"The revenue and land reforms department has cleared our proposal to transfer land to the MGCUB. The transfer would start after completing certain formalities," a senior East Champaran district administration official told The Telegraph on Friday.

The plot, on the southeastern fringes of Motihari, is along National Highway 28A.

Earlier, the district administration had sent a proposal to the department to transfer 102 acres of government land and 34 acres of private land to the university to set up the campus. On May 26, land and revenue department minister Madan Mohan Jha had told The Telegraph that his department would clear the proposal within a week.

The varsity administration intends to start some of its academic work on its permanent campus from the next academic session (2018-19).

"There is a double-storeyed building on the land which has been earmarked for the university," said vice-chancellor (VC) Arvind Agrawal. "As soon as the land is handed over to the university, we would start refurbishing the existing building to help carry out some of the academic activities from our permanent campus. Construction of the boundary wall of the campus would be started then."

The VC said he had sent a proposal to the ministry of new and renewable energy to set up a 2MW solar power plant on campus. The state government has also given additional space to the varsity on the district school premises to help the varsity carry out the admission process for its second batch of students.

Earlier, the VC had hinted that he might declare the 2017-18 academic session a zero year, as there was dearth of space to accommodate the second batch of students on the temporary campus.

The state government, however, gave additional space - five rooms, an examination hall in a bungalow that is part of the school, in addition to the space provided earlier for the temporary campus on the same premises - two days ago. The keys of rooms, the hall and the bungalow were handed over to the university on Thursday.

"We would now start the admission process for the second batch of students shortly. The process would be designed in such a fashion that the academic session can start from the second week of August," Agrawal said.

He added that a four-year degree course in computer science and information technology would be introduced from the 2017-18 academic session for 30 students.

"Of the seven faculty members required to run the course, we have already recruited five and the two others would be recruited soon. The lab and the library too are ready," the VC said.