Bihar adds 18,899 seats at undergraduate level to improve enrolment ratio
Bihar Government has sanctioned 18,899 additional seats at undergraduate level in 75 colleges of four universities, in a bid to enhance the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education. More than half of these seats will be added to the colleges spread across Darbhanga, Madhubani and Samastipur districts.
According to Bihar Education Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, 505 have been increased in the colleges under Patna University. This includes 180 additional seats in Patna College, 260 additional seats in Patna Women’s College, 60 additional seats in Patna Science College and 15 additional seats in College of Art and Craft in Patna.
The highest number of seats have been added to colleges under Lalit Narayan Mithila University. An additional 10,200 seats have been added to 41 colleges under Lalit Narayan Mithila University. Colleges of Lalit Narayan Mithila University is spread across Darbhanga, Madhubani and Samastipur districts in North Bihar.
The highest number of seats have been added to colleges under Lalit Narayan Mithila University. An additional 10,200 seats have been added to 41 colleges under Lalit Narayan Mithila University.
The second highest number of additional seats have been sanctioned for the colleges under Jai Prakash University (Chapra). A total 4,736 seats have been added to 19 colleges under Jai Prakash University. The colleges under Jai Prakash University are spread across Saran, Siwan and Gopalganj districts in North Bihar.
The third highest number of seats have been added to colleges under Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University. Total 3,448 additional seats have been sanctioned for 11 colleges under Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University. The colleges are located in Bhagalpur and Banka districts.
Choudhary said the additional seats in the colleges would help increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of students in Bihar. The Gross Enrolment Ratio in Bihar is among the lowest in the country. It stood at around 15 per cent in Bihar against the national average of 27.4 per cent in 2017-18. Under the National Education Policy 2020 the target is to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio to 50 per cent by 2035.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been consistently emphasising the need to increase GER in higher education in the state and the decision is significant in this regard. This will ensure that the students don’t have to wander due to lack of seats in colleges
Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Education Minister, Bihar
A large number of students from Bihar are forced to migrate to other states for higher education. The government’s decision to increase the seats in the colleges at the undergraduate level would help improve the Gross Enrolment Ratio in the state. “Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been consistently emphasising the need to increase GER in higher education in the state and the decision is significant in this regard,” Choudhary. “This will ensure that the students don’t have to wander due to lack of seats in colleges,” the minister added.
