The education department and the Central University of Bihar (CUB) officials are expecting the amendment to the bill pertaining to the establishment of another central varsity would be passed in the winter session of Parliament, slated from December 5 to 20.

The state education department’s principal secretary, Amarjeet Sinha, said: “We are all hopeful that the amendment to the bill for creating the second central university campus at Motihari would be passed in the upcoming Parliament session.”

The university officials are also hopeful that the Central Universities Act, 2009 would be amended in the upcoming Parliament session.

A senior officer of the varsity said: “The amendment bill pertaining to the creation of another central university in Bihar has been cleared by the Union HRD ministry’s standing committee and has been approved by the HRD ministry. The amendment is likely to be made in the upcoming session.”

The senior officer claimed that neither the UPA, nor the Nitish Kumar government wants to delay the process of setting up the central university at Motihari because the Lok Sabha elections are due next year.

The new varsity would send a positive message to the masses before the polls.

More than a year-and-a-half after the then Union HRD minister, Kapil Sibal, announced to set up two central university campuses at Gaya and Motihari, the second varsity is hanging afire because the amendment to the Central Universities Act, 2009 is yet to be made in Parliament.

Once the amendment is made, a new act would be in place, paving the way for two central universities in the state.

Once the amendment is made, the next step to start the second central varsity at Motihari would be the appointment of vice-chancellor and other employees.

The land acquisition process for the varsity at Motihari is going on.

The state cabinet sanctioned Rs 276 crore for the purpose in July.

The state government has finalised 300 acres at Pipra, around 3km from Motihari town, to set up the second central university campus.

At present, Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in India to have two central universities.

They were created after making an amendment to the Central University Act, 2009. In Jammu and Kashmir, there are two central universities — Central University of Jammu and Central University of Kashmir in Srinagar.

If Parliament passes the amended bill, Bihar would be the second state to have two central universities campus.

Sources said the state government had sent a proposal to the Union HRD ministry regarding the names of the two central universities — the Motihari campus after Mahatma Gandhi and the Gaya campus after Gautam Buddha.

During the first convocation of the CUB in September, chief minister Nitish Kumar had requested Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari to ensure the Gaya campus of the varsity was named after Buddha and the yet-to-start varsity at Motihari after Mahatma Gandhi.

Arguing for the case, Nitish had said Lord Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodhgaya and Gandhiji launched freedom movement from Motihari and so it would be apt to name the two central universities after them.