Modi Turns Down Nitish Kumar's Request to Give Patna University Central Status

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday turned down Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's demand for central university status to the Patna University, which was today celebrating 100 years of its establishment.

Modi, who was the chief guest of the event, instead suggested that the state government should involve the alumni of Patna University to develop it and urged the faculty and the authorities of the varsity to come forward with their "excellent performance to become part of education reform in the country".

“Nitish Kumar has demanded for central university status to Patna University during his address, which was applauded by the people present here, but I would suggest for a step ahead of the central university status. I have come here to invite Patna University to become part of education reform by its good performance. The university should involve its alumni to develop it and ensure that it becomes one of the ten universities run by the Centre which would be selected under an ambitious programme to make them world-class university," said the prime minister humbly turning down CM Kumar's demand.

He also said that times have changed now and there is an urgent need for an education reform in India. Till date reform in education has been very slow and added that it should be sped up.

Earlier, Kumar had said that he asks Modi with folded hands to grant much-awaited central university status to the state varsity.

“People of Bihar are looking forward to PM Modi with the hope that you (PM Modi) will announce central university status to Patna university," he said amid claps of the people gathered there.

It is an old demand raised time and again by successive vice-chancellors of the Patna University, different politicians, faculty members and students in the past. Kumar also showered praised and lauded Modi-led government’s functioning and different schemes. It was expected that Modi may announce central university status to Patna University after Kumar joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), severing ties with Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, to form a new government overnight in July. However, when Modi's turn came, he did not consider the chief minister's demand.

Modi arrived in the Bihar capital on Saturday and was received by Bihar Governor Satyapal Malik, Chief Minister Kumar and several BJP leaders at Patna Airport.Unprecedented security arrangements were put in place for Modi's visit. The city was turned into a fortress with thousands of security personnel deployed and traffic diversions were made. After attending the event, the prime minister laid foundation stones for several projects there. Four sewerage projects under the Namami Gange Programme and four national highway projects in Mokama area of Patna district were inaugurated by the prime minister. The total outlay of these projects will be over Rs 3,700 crore.

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