National Institute of Technology (NIT)-Patna has started an image-building exercise, offering two new MTech courses from the next academic session and recruiting faculty.

NIT-Patna director Asok De told The Telegraph: “The institute will run two more MTech programmes — environmental engineering and information technology (IT) — from the next academic session.”

The launch of the programmes would take the number of masters courses offered at the institute to 10. The existing programmes include civil engineering, electrical, mechanical, electronics and architecture.

Both environmental engineering and IT, De said, were fast emerging disciplines. Environmental engineering would teach students ways to protect the environment and techniques of constructing green buildings.

Aspirants to these programmes would get admission on the basis of their Graduate Aptitude in Engineering (GATE) score followed by interviews. Both the courses would have 20 seats each.

The institute is also planning to recruit teaching faculty to fill up the large number of vacancies in different departments. De said in the next 10 to 15 days, the institute would publish an advertisement in dailies, inviting applications for recruiting teachers.

The NIT director said: “At first, 40 assistant professors would be appointed. We have started the process of recruiting non-teaching employees, including a full-time registrar, deputy registrar, security officers and others.”

Sources said the institute was running with just half the sanctioned strength of teachers and so it had to depend on visiting faculty.

A senior NIT teacher preferring anonymity said: “The institute runs with just 79 teachers, which is 50 per cent of the sanctioned strength.”

Listing the shortfalls of guest faculty, an NIT student said: “On many occasions, classes are suspended when the guest faculty do not turn up. In a few cases, the guest faculty don’t have deep knowledge of the subject. In such a situation, students face difficulty in clearing concepts, which is vital for any aspiring techie.”