AMU BHU happy with budgetary grant make plans for the development

Updated on: Saturday, March 02, 2013

Administration of Aligarh Muslim University was visibly happy on Thursday, as Union finance minister P Chidambaram allocated Rs 100 crore to the legendary educational institution in the Union Budget. Officials were of the view that the institution desperately needed funds for infrastructure development.

AMU spokesperson, Rahat Abrar said that they had submitted proposals related to infrastructure development worth several crores to the Union ministry of human resource development for approval. "The most important of them is regarding construction of new hostels for students. We have proposed to construct separate hostels for boys and girls that can accommodate 1,000 students each," he said.

Students were also happy over the development. PhD student Jasim Mohammad stated that the condition of hostels in AMU was pathetic. "Hostel rooms have virtually turned into a dormitory. A single room which can house 4-5 persons is accommodating 10-12 persons. Students are forced to live in crammed conditions. This is surely good news," he said.

University spokesperson also stated that they would also use the money to develop AMU as a 'green campus'. "The electricity bills of our institutions are a cause of concern. So we had submitted a proposal for switching over to alternative means of energy," he said.

The Banaras Hindu University welcomed the grant of Rs 100 crore announced by Chidambaram, while presenting the Union Budget 2013-14 on Thursday. Prof. Rajesh Singh, the chairman of BHU's press, publication and publicity cell said, "It is really good news for us. Definitely this financial support would help the university in nurturing the young minds to achieve excellence in various fields of academic world."

It is good coincidence that the BHU got this gift on the very day when the country celebrates the National Science Day (February 28) to mark the discovery of the Raman Effect by great physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman on 28 February 1928. Raman along with other distinguished guests was also present at the foundation ceremony of BHU when Lord Hardinge, the then Viceroy of India, laid the foundation on the occasion of Basant Panchami on February 4, 1916.

Founded by the great visionary Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, BHU is one of the largest residential universities in Asia rendering education to over 20,000 students including students from various countries in different disciplines. Besides, over 140 departments the BHU also has reputed institutes like Institute of Medical Science and Institute of Agricultural Sciences. BHU's Institute of Technology was upgraded to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in June 2012. Besides, the university has four inter-disciplinary centres, a constituent college for women and three constituent schools, a vast range of subjects in all branches of humanities, social sciences, technology, medicine, science, fine arts and performing arts, and centres of advanced studies.

The Bharat Kala Bhavan, the reputed museum of the university, has rare collections of artifacts. The main campus of BHU is spread in 1,300 acres, and has well-maintained roads, extensive greenery, a temple, an air-strip and buildings with unique architecture. Another campus of the university is situated at Barkachha, in Mirzapur district covering an area of 2,700 acres.

It may be mentioned here that in 2010 in a survey the BHU was ranked number one on all parameters including reputation of the university, quality of academic input, faculty, research publications/reports, projects, infrastructure and placements. According to the university spokesperson, BHU has been involved in international negotiations in academic and research fields, and it signed a number of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with foreign universities. Most of the initiatives were taken by foreign universities because they were interested in having academic collaborations with the BHU in view of its multi-disciplinary faculty.

AMU BHU happy with budgetary grant make plans for the development

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