Patna: Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday once again came down heavily on the BEd colleges mushrooming in the state.

While participating in a skill development programme at Gyan Bhavan of Samrat Ashok Convention Hall, Governor Malik shared the "pressure" he had to face after announcing the holding of the combined BEd entrance test.

Around 90,000 candidates appeared for the BEd test on Sunday held at 122 examination centres under strict measures based on directions from Raj Bhavan. The state government, on the chancellor's advice for the first time, held the combined test to make the BEd admission process transparent.

Malik said: "Running BEd colleges was big business for many influential people. When I decided to hold the combined test, there were a lot of pressure. Despite all that, I went ahead with the decision."

"You can't imagine the pressure I had to bear, as these persons used all tactics to oppose the test."

The governor expressed happiness on the smooth conduct of examination and congratulated the students, vice-chancellor, district administration officials and members of the governor's secretariat.

In March, while attending a function at AN College, Malik had said the opening of private colleges providing BEd degrees had become a thriving business in Bihar. He had commented that politicians too were involved in running such colleges and was hardly any politician who did not own such a college.

A Patna Training College teacher said: "Malik must also come up with a law to regularise private BEd colleges' fee."