Patna: On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the college, a yearly alumni meet was organized by the Alumni Society of Bihar College of Engineering-National Institute of Technology (BCE-NIT) in Patna. Chief guest Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced the establishment of an incubation center in the NIT campus, instructing officials to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the same. The Chief Minister stated that funds for setting up the incubation center would be released within a week.
He also mentioned the ongoing construction of Patna Medical College and Hospital, which will have a capacity of 5,462 beds, with a significant portion expected to be completed soon, aiming to finish the entire project within two years.
New campus to accommodate six thousand students
During the program, a tribute was paid to the departed students of NIT Patna by observing a moment of silence. The event took place at the amphitheater within the BCE-NIT Patna campus. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed the establishment of facilities to accommodate six thousand students at the new campus in Bihta, Bihar.
Original NIT campus to remain, with a second part in Bihta
He clarified that the original NIT campus would continue to exist, while the second part of the campus would be located in Bihta. Together, these campuses would make it the largest engineering college in the country based on student numbers. The President of the Alumni Society, Prof. Santosh Kumar, urged the Chief Minister to make all efforts for central university status to Patna University during the event.
Classes to commence in the new campus from July
The Chief Minister informed that efforts were made to acquire 125 acres of land in Bihta for the expansion of NIT Patna, and it is now ready for use. The new campus in Bihta is equipped to accommodate approximately six thousand students, and classes will commence from July. Additionally, an Alumni Research Center will be established in the new center to provide income tax rebates to alumni members on donations.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reminisced about his graduation from NIT 51 years ago, expressing pride in the growth of the institution since then. He also highlighted his efforts during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government to secure NIT status for Bihar College of Engineering in 2004.
What is an incubation center?
Incubation centers support startups from ideation to market penetration, providing working spaces, mentoring, marketing, product development, initial funding, networking support, regular training, team support, labs, and essential tools. The government has established numerous governmental and non-governmental incubation centers across states, offering support and initial grants to startups.
Prominent figures present at the event included BCE-NIT Patna Director P.K. Jain, BCE-NIT Patna Alumni Society Secretary Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Bihar State University Service Commission Chairman Prof. G.K. Choudhary, BCE-NIT Patna Alumni Society President Prof. Sanjay Kumar, Treasurer Prof. Sanjeev Kumar, and Prof. C.N. Sinha.
Recognition for Diamond, Golden, Ruby, and Admission batches
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar honored the Diamond Jubilee Batch of 1964, Golden Jubilee Batch of 1974, Ruby Jubilee Batch of 1983-84, and Admission Batch for Silver Jubilee Batch of 1994. The symbolic recognition was presented to the former students during the ceremony.
Book launch and felicitation
The Chief Minister inaugurated a book written by the Society’s President, Prof. Santosh Kumar, and also released a commemorative magazine prepared for the centennial year. He felicitated NIT Patna 1954 batch alumnus and retired Chief Engineer J.V. Sah, and NIT Patna 1959 batch alumnus and retired Chief Engineer K.D.P. Sinha.
This event was attended by Chief Secretary Anupam Kumar, Prof. Kamini Sinha, Prof. Amrita Sinha, Engineer Rashid Parvez, Engineer Nilesh Kumar, Prof. Ramesh Kumar, Prof. Suleena Razak, Prof. Shailendra Mandal, Prof. Surendra Prasad, Engineer Aarti Sinha, members of the BCE-NIT Patna Alumni Society, college faculty, students, former students, and their families.
