National Institute of Technology (NIT) Patna would launch two-year MTech programme on water resources and river engineering from next academic session.

The launch of the new course would help the state in river management, as Bihar is the country's most flood-prone state, with nearly 76 per cent of the population in the northern districts living under recurring threat of flood devastation.

Also, with the launch of MTech programme on water resources and river engineering, NIT Patna will be the first NIT in the country to launch such course. At present, sources said, IIT Roorkee runs a course in water resources and river engineering.

To study the course's feasibility, the NIT Patna is going to hold a conference where experts studying floods from different IITs and NITs are going to meet at NIT Patna on July 9.

NIT Patna director Asok De said: "The meeting will discuss about various aspects of river engineering along with framing syllabus for new course." In the meeting, the experts will also discuss about types of lab facilities so that students enrolled to the new course get maximum exposure. Recruitments of faculty members for the new course will also be discussed.

The sources said once the NIT Patna administration gives its consent for the new course, it will table its proposal to the NIT Patna board of governors and once the board okays the idea, issues such as student intake and criteria will be decided.

The north Bihar plains are drained by a number of rivers that have their catchment areas. Kosi, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla Balan and many other rivers, which originate in Nepal, carry high discharge of water resulting into floods in these areas. The sources said the students would study water-related infrastructures in lakes, reservoirs, rivers and river basins, watershed development and its sustainable management.

In another development, results of seat allotment for different engineering courses and colleges were declared on Tuesday. Joint Seat Allotment Authority, based on choice filling of engineering courses and colleges filled by students, allotted the seats for admission.

NIT Patna faculty member and its coordinator M.P. Singh said: "As the authority has declared the results of seat allotments, students from the state who have been allotted seats in NITs, IIITs, GFTIs can taking provisional admission at NIT-Patna."

Students of general category can book their seats by submitting Rs 45,000 while for the SC/ST candidates, the provisional fees is Rs 20,000.