No say in campus row

The Central University of Bihar is caught in a land impasse. Neither the Centre nor the state government is ready to agree on one location for the varsity. What is happening on this front?

According to the provisions of Central Universities Act, 2009, under which the central universities have been established in the country, the headquarters of the varsity has to be decided by the central government and proper notifications have to be made regarding the location. The university has no autonomy to decide on this matter. So the differences have to be sorted out between the Centre and the state.

CUB is currently functioning from BIT, Patna premises. How long do you intend to stay here?

We are staying on BIT Patna campus not by choice but by compulsion. It’s a transit campus which was rented out to us after an agreement between the BIT administration and the state government.

In two years, we have paid Rs 65 lakh to the BIT administration as rent. The institute, in fact, has started construction work on its campus with the money provided by the CUB as rent.

‘Ready to go to Motihari’

What is the problem in going to Motihari? Don’t you think setting up an institute like CUB in Motihari will help in the inclusive growth of the state?

We don’t have any problem in shifting to Motihari but it has to be decided by the central government. There are certain norms such as road, rail and air connectivity, sound infrastructure facilities like schools, colleges and hospitals that are to be taken into consideration before deciding the location of a central university.

Prima facie, it appears, the Centre is thinking of these norms while deciding the location. Motihari lacks air connectivity and that may be a reason the authorities are in two minds over setting up the campus there.

CUB is functioning from the state capital at present. Still most of the teachers at the varsity are from Bihar. Is the varsity not able to attract faculties from other states?

We are functioning from a transit campus so a number of programmes which can draw faculty from other states have not been started yet. But this is not the only reason. There is a need to discuss the problems associated with institutes of higher education. Also, the decision of a person to join an institute depends upon many issues. All new institutes in their initial phase face problems and the CUB is no exception. I am sure we will overcome it soon.

Ahead on many fronts

How do you compare CUB’s performance with other central universities in the country?

Among the new central universities started in the country, we stand ahead in launching and operating academic programmes. But CUB is still among those four central universities which do not have permanent campus (the other three being Central University of Gujarat, Central University of Kerala and Central University of Rajasthan). Site deadlock is affecting our academic programmes.

What all courses does the university offer at present?

Central University of Bihar started with a masters programme in development studies in 2009. In 2010, we added four new programmes — masters in mathematics, computer science, statistics and environmental science. In 2011, we added three more programmes - masters in bio-informatics, psychology and communication & media studies.

The CUB has plans to start 20 more courses but our hands are tied because of non-availability of a permanent campus.

According to the Central Universities Act, the university should have both undergraduate and postgraduate courses but only nine masters courses are presently being taught. We have around 170 students at present.

Expansion plan on new campus

Are you planning to start undergraduate-level courses any time soon?

The university doesn’t have its own campus yet so it will be difficult to start undergraduate programmes. We will require space for running classes, including laboratories.

Moreover, as the university has to move to its permanent campus eventually, it will be easier to shift the postgraduate programmes, which are of two years, than the undergraduate courses which are of longer durations.

When are you going to start semester system in your university?

We have started the internal grading system which allows evaluation of students. This enables the students to overcome their weak points and at the same time evaluate the course they have opted for.

There are other several indicators of semester system, including assignments, terms papers, mid-term test, class participation and final evaluation, which we are following at the varsity.

Academic with national repute

About Janak Pandey…

Born in a middle-class family in Vishnupura village under Saran district in 1945, Pandey completed his early education at his village school. Later, he shifted to Ranchi along with his brother. Pandey did his matriculation from Ranchi Zila School and graduated from Ranchi University in 1962.

He shifted to the state capital for pursuing his masters from Patna University. Pandey taught at both Ranchi University and Patna University. In 1971, he went to the US on Fulbright scholarship and returned in 1974 after getting his PhD. He joined IIT Kanpur as an assistant professor.

In 1976, he joined Allahabad University as a professor. He also served as director, Govind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad. In 2009, he was appointed the vice-chancellor of CUB.

If you were not an academic what would you have been?

In my family, education has always been given a lot of importance. If I were not an academic, I would have gone for research in the field of education.

‘Centre playing its part’

Don't you think the Centre interferes with the state government’s education plans?

Education is on the concurrent list hence both the Centre as well as the state have their jurisdiction in this matter. It is the duty of the state government to run the centrally sponsored schemes in a good way. Many central schemes for students under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) such as distribution of free bicycles, uniforms, mid-day meal and books are implemented by the state government. I don't think the Centre is interfering with the state government's work in education.