Nalanda : the idea coming to fruition! Patna: The Nalanda International University will start academic activities from next year, its chancellor and Nobel Laureate Prof Amartya Sen said today. The prestigious university, to be headquartered at Nalanda, will start academic activities from September-October 2014 in two subjects – historical studies and environmental studies, Sen told reporters after attending the governing body meeting of the university. The construction of buildings for the proposed international university will commence as soon as the finalisation of the architect... 

Dr Ashok Ghosh and Dr Nupur Bose from AN College invited to Royal Geographical Society annual conference 2011   Patna: according to the latest reports in the press, the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) has invited two Patna based academics from AN College – Nupur Bose, head of the geography department, and Ashok K. Ghosh, department of environment and water management to convene and chair a session during the annual conference of to be held at London between August 31 and September 2. The session in question will be on ‘Water scarcity in developing economies: issues and solutions’... 

Are Bihar schools turning into battlegrounds: between non-performing teachers and parents/students? Raxaul: although one can not yet claim that this is definitely the prevalent trend, but increasingly there are reports in newspapers on confrontations between the villagers and schoolmasters over non-performance or simple absenteeism. Often such confrontations also relate to non-distribution of food and uniforms funds for which are provided by the government. It seems that village Bihar will not take these injustices lying down any more. In the latest report in what seems a steady series now,... 

Now expansion plans for Anand Kumar’s ‘Super 30’: is it necessarily a good idea? Kanpur: according to the latest reports, Bihar’s ‘Super 30′ Institute, which has been providing poor students with free and intensive tutoring for admission in the Indian Institutes of Technology is planning some serious expansion. Anand Kumar the ‘Super 30’ wizard told reporters in Kanpur that the Institute will admit 60 students this year onwards. Kumar said ‘Apart from Bihar, we will admit meritorious students from states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh also’. And further... 

Why are Biharis vital to the Nagaland economy? Dimapur, Nagaland: according to a report in the Nagaland press, that at least 60% of Bihari labourers have left Nagaland in the last few years. The Biharis in Nagaland are mainly from the labouring class. The report mentions that thousands of Biharis are permanently settled in Nagaland while a few hundred thousand more work here. The Bihari community, forming a minority, is seen locally as the backbone of the state’s economy. The report goes on to demonstrate how without the Biharis, Nagaland would not have seen a number of developments –... 

Foundation stone for IIT-Patna campus to be laid on April 19 by Kapil Sibal Patna: according to press reports, Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal will be in Patna to lay the foundation stone for the new campus of IIT-Patna on April 19. The Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will preside over the function and the welcome address will be delivered by chairman, board of governors, IIT Patna, G Madhavan Nair. Reports mention that around 500 acres near Bihta, about 30 km from the state capital, has already been acquired to set up the new IIT campus. The land was acquired by the Infrastructure Development... 

A welcome move in higher education in Bihar: court orders recording of interviews of candidates Patna: reports in the Bihar press inform that in a recent move the high court in Patna upheld an earlier judgment of a single-judge bench that annulled the appointment of 26 principals from constituent colleges of Magadh University (MU). Amresh Kumar Singh, the counsel for the respondents claimed that the selection was done in “mala fide manner”, “arbitrarily” and “on extraneous consideration” in flagrant violation of the Bihar University Act and other settled norms and rules in this... 

Patna Science College looking to bag Rs 127-crore project for basic infrastructure of the college Patna: according to a recent report, the college had sent a proposal to the state human resource development (HRD) asking for Rs 127-crore project aimed at developing the basic infrastructure of the college. Now, the proposal lies with the Union HRD ministry, after which the college will get a centre of excellence tag under the Japanese Grant Aid Programme. Academics at the college of the institute are hopeful of the centre of excellence tag giving the college a facelift, as it will cater to... 

Youth anger boils over in Patna University: hostels worse than slums! Patna: anyone who has taken a walk around the Patna university campus knows how decrepit the structures have become. Walk further on towards hostels that continue right up to Ranighat and the Law College, and the sight of unhinged windows and broken panes makes you wonder how the students manage to live in such hell holes. Anyone who has walked around the ruins of Nalanda and given some attention to the lodgings for students including the drainage and the cooking areas, not to mention the wells, will conclude that our ancients... 

Our own John Grisham from Bihar: Amarnath Jha from Jhanjharpur, Madhubani Patna: according to a recent report in the print media, Bihar seems to be nurturing its own John Grisham, the best-selling author known for his mesmerizing legal thrillers. The only problem is that Amarnath Jha, 33, our local Grisham is a murder convict and is serving a life term in Patna’s Beur Central Jail. But is that really a problem? A problem for the reader, that is? And to some extent even for the author? The novelist has all the relevant experience staged in front of him on a daily basis – we at Bihardays...