The varsity website

Patna, March 8: Students and teachers of Patna University (PU), curious to learn the details of the annual convocation scheduled for March 28, are unable to get any information from the varsity’s official website.

Reason: The website — www.patnauniversity.ac.in — does not open easily. Even if it does, the information available on the website is three years old. Unknown to everyone, however, PU does have a website where one can access all the information.

K.P. Singh, in-charge of the computer centre, said: “The university has another site connected with Patna University Computer Centre — pu.bih.nic.in. Students and teachers can access all information there.”

But this alternate information has been kept discreet for some unknown reason. Obviously teachers and students are complaining.

A senior teacher of the Maithali department said: “PU is the seventh oldest university in India. The varsity will soon enter its 100th year. But the university website has not been updated for three years. This is very sad.”

Rakesh Kumar, a postgraduate education department student, said: “An updated website is very helpful for students. We could access all information — examination dates and publication of results — from the website itself.”

The official website still displays the name of Shyam Lal, whose term expired in January this year, as the vice-chancellor.

Sukhda Pandey — at present, the art, culture and youth affairs minister — is still noted as the principal of Magadh Mahila College. Similarly, Ramesh Prasad is recorded as the principal of BN College, while Rajeshwar Prasad holds the post now.

The computer centre website, however, correctly records Sudipta Adhikari as the acting vice-chancellor.

The technical backlog seems to be plaguing not only the varsity but also the constituent colleges that often forget to update necessary information on their own websites.

Patna Science College’s website still shows S.N. Guha — the vice-chancellor of Aryabhatta Knowledge University for the past year — as the principal. The college has had four principals since Guha left. Kashi Nath is the present principal of the college.

“Wrong and incomplete information provided by the website is very embarrassing. People often call to find information they cannot access on the website,” said another senior teacher.

A source said many of the administrative services of the university would soon be available online. But for that the varsity needs to have a functional and updated website.