The state too will have its very own Patliputra School of Economics on the lines of Delhi School of Economics.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar, while holding the review meeting of the education department on Friday, asked the education department to prepare a proposal by January next year to set up Patliputra School of Economics. The institute, like Delhi School of Economics, will launch courses in economics and also carry out research in the subject.

This is not the first time that Nitish has conveyed his idea of setting up Patliputra School of Economics. In August this year, while laying the foundation stone of Aryabhatta Knowledge University (AKU), Nitish had first mentioned about the setting up of Patliputra School of Economics. Education minister Ashok Choudhary, chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, principal education secretary D.S. Gangwar and other officials reviewed the scenario of education in the state during the meeting.

Nitish also directed the officials to draw a proposal to set up a school of river system studies. Sources said such an institute would greatly help Bihar, large parts of which face floods every year. The school, under AKU, will study the river system of the state.

Other important directives issued in connection with higher education aimed to identify constituent colleges in the state and developing those into centres of excellence.

Nitish directed the education officials to set up high schools in all panchayat areas. Sources said there were around 5,000 high schools in 8,000 panchayats. He ordered officials to emphasise on providing quality education at the school-level and to conduct fair matriculation examination.