IIT Patna: Session starting from Aug 06

In a major development, Patna, the capital of Bihar, is going to be a witness of new technical academy hub as India’s foremost engineering institute - Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – is ready to function in Patna from Aug 06. It is one of the six new IITs being set up the country.

The Union Human Resource and Development Minister Arjun Singh, as per the program schedule will inaugurate the opening ceremony. The classes will formally begin from the next day at its temporary acquired premise on the Navin Pataliputra Polytechnic campus located in posh Patliputra colony in Patna.

The classes will carry on until its new campus that is planned to come about near Amhara and adjoining villages near Bihta in Patna district. The state government that has shown its eagerness to acquire the appropriate land had already allocated the supplementary budget of Rs.60-crore for 550-acre land acquisition. The construction at the approved site is scheduled to complete in the next three years.

Meanwhile, the temporary classes for 109 selected students will go on in 20,000 square feet area in the new building of polytechnic campus. The Polytechnic has two hostels with a total capacity of lodging for 200 students. At present, there is no hostel for faculty members coming from IIT-Guwahati since IIT- Patna is opening as an extension to IIT- Guwahati. There are separate arrangements for the faculty members in the city, as per official sources.

Gautam Barua from IIT-Guwahati, who has been appointed as an acting director of IIT is satisfied with the work progress and Bihar government’s interest for opening this premier institute. According to HRD ministry, ‘Arjun Singh has set up a panel to look for deserving candidate as full time director, and as per expectation IIT-Patna will have its full time Director within a month.’

The 10 faculties will handle the theory and practical classes for the first batch of first year engineering students. The Centre has approved to appoint 30 faculties for the first three years each for all new established IITs.