Gaya/Patna, Dec. 6: Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi seems to favour Gaya for the proposed IIM in Bihar, but the deadlock continues.
Some government sources say land can be arranged at Bodh Gaya once the Centre gives its nod. But others counter saying it would not be a cakewalk, if it is Magadh University (MU) land the state is eyeing. In any case the state is yet to take over the 200 acres of MU plot it was eyeing.
On Saturday, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said he favoured setting up of the IIM in Gaya. 'There is already a Central University of Bihar here. The place is well connected by air, road and rail. Gaya has the potential to become an educational hub,' he said, adding it was the state's responsibility to arrange land. 'If there is any problem, the state should talk to the Centre,' he told reporters at MLC Krishna Kumar Singh's house in Gaya.
His comment and the fact that IIM Indore has agreed to mentor the proposed institute should have brought in a sense of urgency but a senior education department official said there was still nothing concrete. 'We are yet to get the 200 acres of MU land. But MU is a part of the government and the department can take land from it anytime. The state government's priority is to get Centre's nod for establishing the IIM in Bodhgaya. The chief secretary has written to Union human resource department and with IIM-Indore agreeing to mentor the proposed institute, our hopes are up. MU authorities have agreed to give us two floors in one of their buildings where the temporary IIM campus can function till its own campus comes up,' the official said.
MU vice-chancellor Mohammed Ishtiyaque said: 'The university's teaching and non-teaching staff are not ready to part with land for IIM. I, being a government representative, will act as per the state government's directions.'
There are others who point out why getting MU land was easier said than done.
'There is a section that is protesting against the IIM being established on MU land primarily because the land cannot be donated for a purpose other than the university's academic affairs. The Bodhgaya Math's mahant (priest) had donated land to the university on the condition it be used for only the university's purpose. The present mahant's approval would be needed for land transfer. Besides, approval from two apex bodies of the university - the syndicate and the senate - is also required. But neither has the mahant's nod been sought, nor the issue discussed at the university's senate or syndicate meeting,' a source in the university told The Telegraph.
The university's public relations officer Shamsul Islam said: 'We have started more than 30 professional and vocational courses, which are running in buildings of other departments. Several hostel buildings in a dilapidated condition have to be demolished for fresh construction. We need to expand our campus to get good grades from the national assessment and accreditation council (Naac).'
