One of India's oldest universities, Patna University (PU), is poised for a historic and comprehensive transformation. With substantial financial backing from both the state and central governments, the institution is leveraging funds from the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) to reinvent itself as a modern, multi-disciplinary education and research university (MERU). This ambitious makeover involves the construction of new administrative and academic complexes, state-of-the-art laboratory upgrades, and a significant push towards hosting national and international academic discourse.
New Infrastructure: A Rs 139 Crore Foundation
The most visible sign of this change will be two new towering structures on campus. The Bihar State Educational Infrastructure Development Corporation (BSEIDC) is constructing these at an estimated cost of Rs 139 crore. A new G+8 administrative complex is coming up at Krishna Ghat, which will become the university's nerve center. It will house the offices of the vice-chancellor, pro-vice chancellor, general administration, establishment, registration departments, as well as the syndicate, academic council, and a conference hall.
Right beside it, a G+9 academic block is being built to relocate more than a dozen postgraduate departments from the humanities and social science faculties, currently housed in the Darbhanga House complex. This new academic hub will feature a cafeteria on the ground floor, with an average of two departments on each upper floor, and will include a library and reading room. The vacated Darbhanga House is likely to be taken over by Vanijya Mahavidyalaya.
Academic & Research Modernisation Drive
Beyond bricks and mortar, the heart of the upgrade lies in academic enhancement. PU has received a grant of Rs 100 crore under the PM-USHA scheme, which is being channeled into large-scale infrastructural and academic development. A key focus is the modernization of science laboratories. PU Development Officer Khagendra Kumar stated that 34 sophisticated modern instruments are being procured at an estimated cost of Rs 34 crore.
These include advanced equipment like bio-safety cabinets, ICPMS, GCMS, XRD, XRF, and FTIR microscopes. Furthermore, a multi-purpose G+7 building with parking is being constructed on the Patna Science College campus for nearly Rs 34 crore, and a greenhouse and glasshouse lab will be developed at the botany department for Rs 85 lakh.
Holistic Campus Development
The university's vision extends to sports and overall student life. A sum of Rs 15 crore has been earmarked for constructing an indoor sports complex at the Saidpur complex. This facility will cater to sports like badminton, volleyball, judo, wrestling, handball, and kabaddi, and will also include a boundary wall.
Simultaneously, renovation of all postgraduate departments has already begun at a cost of Rs 6 crore. Shortly, interior works for five ICT labs and eight smart classrooms will also be undertaken at a cost of Rs 4.4 crore, bringing digital pedagogy to the forefront.
In a major push to elevate its academic profile, the university is contemplating floating a tender to hire an event management agency. The goal is ambitious: to organize 40 international and 40 national conferences, along with 40 workshops by postgraduate departments, at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore. Kumar emphasized that all funds sanctioned under the PM-USHA scheme must be utilized within a year, setting a clear timeline for this transformative journey.
This comprehensive revamp, blending cutting-edge infrastructure with academic vigor, aims to usher Patna University into a new era of excellence, making it a premier destination for research and multidisciplinary learning in Eastern India.
