PATNA UNIVERSITY

                        Patna University is the 7^th oldest University of the Indian

subcontinent, which was established in the year 1917 to cater to the growing needs of higher education of Bihar, Orissa and Nepal. The history of this University is closely linked with the history of modern Bihar – the saga of her educational, cultural, political and economic growth. It is a hallmark in the annals of the progress of the State in particular and region in general. It is the only teaching and residential university in the populous State of Bihar. It also has a truly national character which transcends the linguistic, cultural and political boundaries. The outstanding personalities involved in top administrative positions, well qualified learned teachers and students have largely contributed towards its rich academic heritage.

                        Bihar has been a seat of learning since time immemorial. The State had the Universities like Nalanda and Vikramshila that were drawing students even from neighbouring countries. One of the primary objectives of the University education is to produce trained manpower, which can accelerate sustained economic growth by harnessing science and technology.

                        In order to face the challenges thrown by the process of globalization and liberalization in the field of higher education in the 21^st century, the University will have to equip its teachers and students with modern techniques, skills, and make them competent enough to face challenges and enhance the quality of teaching & research. For meeting these challenges, this University has already focused its attention and started a number of professional courses at the graduation and post graduation level with a view to building human resources of high quality, who can contribute to the Nation-building. In this age of Information and Communication Technology, the barriers of time and space have now disappeared. We are providing the facilities of Internet, Teleconferencing, online library facilities etc. and we have introduced new courses in the areas of emerging importance like Biotechnology, Biochemistry, BCA, MCA, Fashion Designing, Sales Management, Business Management, Rural Management, Functional English, Saral Sanskrit Sambhashan, Journalism and Mass Communication etc. However, the avowed goal of the University Education still remains character building. It is true that modern knowledge, information and skills help to provide quality education but the most important task of education is to produce enlightened citizens, having human touch and dedication to the cause of the nation and its society at large.

                        Patna University has been imparting quality education to its students, which is amply reflected in the success of our students at the all India level competitions. Even today Patna University holds important positions in the Central Services Examination. In the year of women empowerment we have accorded great significance to the education of women and for that the University started commerce education in Patna Women’s College and Magadh Mahila College. Out of thirteen constituent Colleges, three of them are exclusively meant for girls and the other eight are Co-educational Institutions where the number of girl students is fairly large. Patna University has tried to provide benefits to the socially and economically deprived groups, handicapped students and also to the weaker sections of the society. In this regard the university has, strictly followed the reservation policy of the Government. and provided them facilities so that they can unfold their potentialities and prove themselves as worthy members of the society.

                        The University has N. S. S., N. C. C., Sports and Fine Arts Board which keep the University humming with life all the year round with extra-curricular activities. One of our N.S.S. volunteers, Sushree Shruti Anand was awarded the Indira Gandhi N.S.S. award. Sushree Mili Sinha was awarded Gold Medal in Discus Throw in All Indian Inter University Athletics Competition at Gulbarga. Volunteers from 14 States participated in the National Integration Camp, 2003 supported financially by Ministry of Youth and Sports, Govt. of India.

                        The people of the state are now becoming conscious, rather restless, on this sad plight and the persistent neglect of the growth of higher education in Bihar. The demand of conversion of Patna University into a Central University has been long pending. Questions have been raised on several occasions in the Parliament but the same have been turned down on some plea or the other. Of late, the financial position of this university which was once a monumental centre of learning has deteriorated to such an extent that it is almost impossible to preserve even the semblance of its true character and its glorious tradition.

                        It is in this backdrop that the long pending proposal of the Central take over of Patna University is being presented so that the true monumental character of this prestigious institution is preserved and it is able to play its legitimate role in the onward march of the nation.

    BRIEF HISTORY OF PATNA UNVIERSITY

            The Patna University came into being by an Act of Legislature

in 1917. It is the 7^th oldest University to be established on the Indian

subcontinent and the first in Bihar.

            The University was established as an examining body and conducted examinations right from Matriculation to the Postgraduate classes. Its jurisdiction extended to Bihar, Orissa and Nepal and for four decades since its inception, this University guided the destiny of these States.

            The Patna University remained the only University of Bihar till January 1952 when its character was changed to a Residential University though for some years it continued to conduct examinations of educational institutions in Nepal till the Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, came into being. After establishment of the Utkal University, Bhubneshwar, the Patna University ceased to exercise its control over educational institutions in Orissa.

            Since its birth, the University was fortunate to have the guidance and co-operation of eminent residents of Bihar and Orissa such as Hasan Imam (who became the President of Indian National Congress) Dr. Rajendra Prasad (the first President of our republic and an eminent freedom fighter), Sachidanand Sinha (the first President of the Constituent Assembly of India and the maker of the modern Bihar and the longest serving Vice-Chancellor of Patna University), Braj Kishore Prasad (a great freedom fighter) etc. Some very distinguished scholars who were internationally known, such as Sri Jadu Nath Sarkar, Ram Autar Sharma, D.M.Datta, H. P. Maity, C. J. Hamilton and other served this university as teachers in its early years. Sir Syed Sultan Ahmad, an eminent Barrister and High Court Judge was the Vice-Chancellor of this University for seven years. He became Member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council for Law and later for Information and Broadcasting. Justice B. P. Singh, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, Justice L. M. Sharma, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, Justice K. B. N. Singh, Ex-Chief Justice of Madras and Patna High Court as well as Governor of Madras and Bihar, Mr. Lal Narain Sinha, the first Attorney General of India and a number of political decision makers and many others who are presently holding the key posts of the Government of India and the various State Governments are the illustrious alumini of this University.

            From the very beginning the University had a number of well-known institutions both professional and non-professional associated with it. It has a full-fledged Law College, Teachers’ Training College along with Engineering and Medical Colleges.

Right from its inception this University has acted as the torch-bearer of modern scientific and technical education in Bihar, Orissa and Nepal. It is needless to emphasize that the University became the harbinger of modernity, social transformation and economic growth.

            The alumni of this University participated in India’s freedom struggle at all stages. When the non-cooperation movement was started by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920, the students of Patna University especially those studying engineering decided to boycott all Government-run educational institutions. They requested the leaders of the non-cooperation movement in Bihar, Maulana Mazharul Haque, to provide an alternative institution so that they could continue their studies. Bihar Vidyapeeth was, thus, born and the inauguration was performed by Mahatma Gandhi.

            When nationalism was still nascent in the country, the two patriotic brothers of renowned Kulharia Zamindar family Sri Bisheshwar Singh and Sri Shaligram Singh founded the B. N. (Bihar National) College  (1889) who were bold enough to suggest the name out of their great love for the nation and gifted it to the State.

            During the Quit India Movement of August 1942 several students including Baliram Bhagat and L. N. Mishra actively participated. After freedom was achieved they became prominent public figures and achieved position of distinction in public life.

            Since its inception the University has been a saga of progress, advancement, and excellence in the field of higher education. In fact, the alumni of this university provided the bulk of manpower to run the administration at all levels and have significantly contributed to the task of national reconstruction, particularly, during post-independence period. The overwhelming number of teachers, lawyers, judges, journalists literateurs, scientists, engineers, doctors, politicians etc., were alumni of the Patna University.

            After independence it was realized by the leaders of the country that modern education was a major resource which ought to be developed to ensure economic progress and major social transformation. Hence efforts were made to popularise  modern education. It was also felt that the Patna University, the oldest and a leading university in the country with its sound infrastructure should concentrate on research and divest itself of the responsibility of conducting various examinations at the state level. As a preliminary step, postgraduate teaching in several new subjects such as Statistics, Sociology, Labour and Social Welfare, Applied Psychology, was started. The Postgraduate departments were delinked from the colleges. This was a step towards creation of a residential university with adequate research input which were carried out with great vigor. The structure of the University was completely changed. It was turned into the first residential University of Bihar with the provision that only an eminent teacher should become the Vice-Chancellor. As a result of this Dr. K. N. Bahl a scholarly teacher and eminent Scientist of the country was appointed the first Vice-Chancellor. The structure of the University was further changed. The colleges ceased to impart postgraduate education. For each subject, post-graduate departments were established. It was hoped that the teachers in these departments would devote themselves to research besides carrying on teaching assignments. The change in the character of the University was reflected in the phenomenal increase in the output of research work, publication of research articles and monographs. Doctoral and postdoctoral research were carried out with sincerity of purpose.

            Several teachers of the University won great name and fame in the academic world. Many of them became the Fellow of National Academy, some of them became Presidents and Sectional Presidents of Science Congress and apex organizations in their respective disciplines. When the Indian Council of Historical Research was established in 1973, Dr. R. S. Sharma, a teacher of this University was appointed the first Chairman. A former Vice-Chancellor Dr. George Jacob held the post of the Chairman of the University Grants Commission, New Delhi.

            The University also opened new courses to cater to the emerging needs of the Society. The Faculty of Commerce came into existence.

            Postgraduate teaching in the Faculty of Medical Sciences was begun and after sometime postgraduate studies in the Faculty of Law, Engineering and Education were also started.

            In addition, the University also runs a Directorate of Distance Education (DDE) established in 1974. The main objective is to promote higher education among those who are employed or otherwise engaged and are in no position to attend regular classes.

            A new faculty of Fine-Arts was created when the half-a-century old Government Art College was transferred to the Jurisdiction of the Patna University.

            The University celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1944 and its Golden Jublee (1967), in the year 1970 with the President of India Sri V. V. Giri as the Chief Guest. Many great national leaders and many internationally known public leaders and personalities have visited the University. Among them mention may be made of  Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Smt. Sarojini Naidu, Govind Ballabh Pant, C. D. Deshmukh, etc