Patna, Jan. 31 (PTI): The state government is set to bring a new legislation during the budget session of the state legislature to ensure centralised regulation of higher education, including overseeing all recruitments in higher education institutions in the state.

The draft of the proposed Bihar State University (constituent and affiliated colleges) Bill, 2011, is ready, state human resource development minister P.K. Shahi said.

The proposed regulatory-cum-recruitment body would handle the affairs of universities, constituent colleges and affiliated colleges, he said. “Instead of having multiple bodies, it would be much more efficacious to have one body to deal with matters pertaining to higher education,” he said.

The recruitment process in the universities of Bihar will get underway only after the commission is formed, sources said.

Universities in the state have been functioning with just 55 per cent of their sanctioned staff strength and are weighed down by a huge backlog of pending promotions.

These factors have attracted a growing number of court cases.

The new body is expected to ease the situation.

Patna High Court had last week quashed the appointment of 27 principals of Magadh University and ordered fresh selection.

Once the proposed bill is approved by the state legislature, the proposed body would handle the appointments of principals of different universities in Bihar.