BIT Mesra: Study matters

Ranchi, May 9: After two years hiatus, BIT, Mesra, is all set to get a regular vice-chancellor to run the academic and administrative affairs of the deemed university effectively.

Highly placed sources in the state government and deemed technical university conceded that the name of Ajoy Chakraborty, a professor at IIT, Kharagpur, had been finalised for the coveted post. The deemed varsity authorities had set up a search committee for the purpose some time back.

Sudhir Tripathi, principal secretary to governor who is also the chancellor of universities of the state, confirmed that the board of governors of BIT, Mesra, would meet on May 10. He is one of the Board of Governor members but it is not sure whether he would be able to attend the meet in the wake of the fluid political situation in the state.

“The agenda for discussion during the meeting is appointment of vice-chancellor,” Tripathi told The Telegraph.

Chakraborty is a professor of electronics and electrical communication engineering. He joined IIT, Kharagpur way back in 1977 and holds a PhD from the same institute. Sources said Chakraborty’s roots are in Ranchi. He is expected to join the institute from the next academic session slated to start from July 2010.

After the untimely demise of former BIT, Mesra vice-chancellor Sanat Kumar Mukherjee in March 2008, the prestigious chair was being officiated by the present incumbent, professor P.K. Barhai.

Mukherjee was considered a strong administrator and took the institute to new heights. A couple of new extension centres and offshore centres were opened by BIT, Mesra during his tenure.

BIT, Mesra, now has as many as seven extension centres (Jaipur, Patna, Deoghar, Calcutta, Lalpur, Noida and Allahabad) in India and three off-shore centres in Bahrain, Muscat and Ras Al Khaimah (UAE). It is planning to come up with another offshore centre in Mauritius, where majority of the population is of Indian origin.

Moreover, another extension centre at Dumka would start its operation very soon as BIT, Mesra, and the state government have already signed an MoU to that effect.

The second extension centre in Santhal Pargana would come up at a temporary location at Government Polytechnic. BIT, Mesra has been given land to build up a new campus.