Baripada, Aug. 10: The state government has allotted 13.5 acres and Rs 10 crore to the North Odisha University for its proposed second campus in Keonjhar.

"We had asked for Rs 47 crore from the department of higher education and have been granted Rs 10 crore for the first phase. We have taken possession of the land for the campus in Keonjhar," said vice-chancellor of the university Prafulla Kumar Mishra.

"The second campus is essential to cater to the needs of students in Keonjhar and its nearby areas," he said.

There are 82 affiliated colleges and 40,000 students from Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar enrolled in North Odisha University (NOU). The varsity offers 24 courses, including 17 self-financed ones. A satellite unit of the NOU functions from a law college campus in Keonjhar.

Varsity authorities have proposed an MBA course from the current academic session. It also plans to start a school of languages where Santhali and Sanskrit could be taught.

"We have dropped courses such as nanotechnology because there were few takers and are introducing new courses keeping the demand of students in mind," said a varsity official.