Patna: Nitish Kumar has been pressing for central status to Patna University (PU) but the jury is out on whether the institution, once known as the "Oxford of the East", deserves the recognition.

Those in agreement with the chief minister's demand say there is no particular criteria for central university status. PU vice-chancellor (VC) Rash Bihari Prasad Singh said: "The Centre can declare any university a central university. It just needs to have 200 acres of land. PU has around 185 acres."

Former PU professor N.K. Chaudhary said such announcements were basically "political by nature without any uniform standard"It is The state government which creates new departments, creates vacancies and starts the process to fill them up. It provides funds and creates infrastructure. It has a say in selection of vice-chancellors too. Each of these aspects has been neglected," Chaudhary added.the Most of the VCs these days get the post either through lobbying or due to caste equations. "

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