Will push for Patna varsity's central status: Naidu

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said he would talk to Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokriyal and find out if measures could be taken to accord central university status to Patna University.

Patna: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said he would talk to Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokriyal and find out if measures could be taken to accord central university status to Patna University.

Naidu, who was here on the occasion of the centenary celebrations of the university's library, gave his assurance after a section of students raised its demand for the tag.

"As per the Constitution, the vice president holds the second-most important position in the country... I will talk to the Union human resource development (HRD) minister and find out what can be done. I will personally see to it if appropriate steps can be taken for according central university status to Patna University," Naidu said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who had been pitching for the tag for a while now, also expressed hope that the vice president will take necessary measures to fulfil the state's long-pending demand.

"The demand for the central university status to Patna university had been dismissed in the past. Hopefully, the vice president will be able to do something about it," he added.