Governor DY Patil pays floral tributes to AN Sinha at the June 18 event . Sixty-four students got excellence awards while nine were rewarded for full attendance. Pictures by Nagendra Kumar Singh and Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Governor D.Y. Patil, who is also the chancellor of all the state universities, on June 18 said the development of any institution depended on the hard work of its teachers and students. He was speaking at the birth anniversary celebration of freedom fighter and first deputy chief minister of Bihar Anugrah Nayaran Sinha at AN College.

Patil said: “If teachers are dedicated and students are industrious, only then can an educational institution develop. Colleges and schools are like temples, the seeds of a good society are sown here.”

The governor said: “Many development projects have been initiated but a state can develop only if the youth is aware of these and take an active interest in it.”

The administration of the college, named after the freedom fighter, had organised the event to celebrate the 126th birth anniversary of AN Sinha. Patil said: “Sinha was a great statesman. He took part in the Champaran Movement along with Mahatma Gandhi and in the Non-cooperation Movement in 1921.”

American dreams

Central University of Bihar, Patna, is planning to launch engineering and technology programmes in collaboration with Penn State University, US. The CUB vice-chancellor, Janak Pandey, said: “I have taken part in academic leadership programmes under Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative at Penn State University from June 23 to 28.”

The university is also planning to start an engineering and technology school in Gaya. There are 14 schools at the university — mathematics; statistics and computer science; physical and chemical sciences; earth, biological and environmental sciences; technology; health sciences; social sciences and policy; human sciences; languages and literature; media, arts and aesthetics; management; education; vocational studies; law and governance; and agriculture and development.

Centre upgrade

BN College has decided to upgrade its career-counselling centre.

College officials said after the upgrade, students would get more information about different courses from the centre in the new session.

Centre co-ordinator P.K. Pandey said: “The college has decided to upgrade the facility because it wants to improve its NAAC accreditation.” It would allow the college to get more funds from the University Grants Commission for more development.

“At present, there are only four computers at the centre. Internet facility is also available. Students are also provided with different career-related magazines at the centre. Also, list of vacancies in different companies are displayed on the notice board of the college,” said Pandey.

He added: “We shall invite companies for campus placements. We shall also guide the students about taking admission to management courses in foreign universities. Students would also be taught to strategise to get better pay package.”

But they would be charged a fee to avail of these services.

Health card

Patna University (PU) has decided to introduce health cards for students in its constituent colleges.

Vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Sinha said he would direct the college authorities to provide health and eye cards to the students from the new academic session.

“The students would get free test facilities and medicines worth Rs 50. A team of 10 doctors would conduct various tests on the students. We would also organise health camps to give preventive health tips to the students,” he said.