MU students seek intervention of President
2 min readGAYA: The BEd and MEd students of Magadh University have objected to the proposed transfer of classrooms and other infrastructure to IIM-Bodh Gaya.
In a petition addressed to President Ram Nath Kovind, the students said if the proposal to transfer two of the three floors of MU’s department of education to the IIM-Bodh Gaya materialises, the National Council of Technical Education (NCTE) might derecognise the BEd and MEd courses being taught in the university.
“As per NCTE guidelines, a minimum of 4,500sqft built- up area is required for recognition of the BEd and MEd courses. The three-storey building hardly meets the requirement. Transfer of the building to IIM will mean automatic derecognition of the university’s BEd and MEd courses,” the petition read.
The petition also stated that a minimum of eight classrooms are required for regular conduct of classes. “Transfer of the existing building to IIM will leave little space for classrooms, which otherwise accommodate about 1,000 BEd and MEd students of 2016-18 and 2017-19 sessions. The future of the course will become uncertain,” the petition stated.
The students have threatened to go on indefinite hunger strike if their concerns were not properly addressed. Copies of the petition have been forwarded to the Union HRD minister, governor Satya Pal Malik and CM Nitish Kumar.
MU VC Prof Qamar Ahsan refused to comment on the issue. He neither confirmed nor denied the proposal of transfer of two floors of the building to IIM.
Established in 2015, the IIM-Bodh Gaya currently runs from a makeshift arrangement on MU premises. About three years back, a decision to transfer 159 acres of MU land to the IIM was taken. The area is part of the 460 acres of land on which the MU campus is located. However, it has not yet been demarcated. The original land was donated by Bodh Gaya Mahanth for the specific purpose of the establishment of Magadh University in 1962.
The IIM-Bodh Gaya specialised courses include financial management, marketing and human resources.
Courtesy: TNN
