Bihar CM urges PM for science centre of excellence in Patna

Patna, Jun 28 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has requested the prime minister for clearing the establishment of the proposed 'National Institute of Science and Technical Education and Research' here as a 'Centre of Excellence' soon.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr Kumar urged him to seriously consider Patna as the venue for the prestigious national Institute which would also be judged as the state's first Centre of Excellence.

The state government was ready to extend all facilities, including infrastructural support like suitable land and road connectivity, for the dream project, he said adding that his government was committed to creating a scientific bent of mind among the people through such prestigious institute.

However, in order to reach the goal,the provision of best quality education through such institutes should be available in Bihar, the chief minister emphasised in his letter.

Incidentally, in order improve the standard of overall scientific education in Bihar,the government had also planned to join hands with two renowned educational institutions- the University of Iowa in the US and the University of Edinburg in the UK-under a faculty exchange programme.

Under the programme senior faculty members of both institutes were scheduled to visit all the eight engineering colleges in Bihar several times every academic session. Besides, some of them have been invited to take up suitable engineering courses in their own campuses.

The chief minister is likely to visit the US soon with a team of senior officials from the Science and Technology department to formalise the agreement.

UNI