IIM-Bodh Gaya, Magadh University sign pact for academic collaboration

GAYA: Ironing out the yearlong differences, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Magadh University (MU) Bodh Gaya on Sunday entered into an academic collaboration for introduction of MBA course in Magadh University.
Besides providing faculty support, the IIM will help MU with the course design, placement and training etc. Confirming the collaboration, MU VC Prof Qamar Ahsan said the academic partnership between the University and IIM will go a long way in improving the university's profile.
IIM Bodh Gaya, it may be recalled was established on the sprawling MU premises in 2015. As on date, the institute functions from two stories of the directorate of distance education building of the university. Despite resistance from university employees including teachers, the university allotted nearly 119 acres of varsity land to IIM.
Subsequently differences cropped up on account of the common use of the distance education directorate building and land alignment as the university and the IIM campuses criss-crossed each other at several points. The university was also vulnerable to lose its stadium and two hostels constructed by the welfare department exclusively for minority community students.
The dispute reached the Rashtrapati Bhavan as well as the PMO. According to sources, following PMO’s intervention, the state government appointed an arbitrator to resolve the land issue. The arbitrator, specialising in revenue related matters proposed changes in the earlier arrangement and recommended measures for land use rationalisation by the two parties.
As per the arbitrator’s recommendation, the IIM got new land alignment. The IIM is to vacate the DDE building on an ‘as is where is basis’ and shift to the newly- constructed BEd building. The stadium will go to the IIM.
The state government has decided to construct a new stadium and building at a cost of Rs 12 crore. Bihar State Educational Infrastructure Development Corporation will do the construction job. The corporation will also undertake repair work of the existing MU buildings and staff quarters at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore. The repair expenditure will be met by the MU from its own fund.
On Sunday, IIM CEO Brigadier MD Chako and MU registrar Col Pranav Kumar signed an agreement on the issue. The agreement draft was earlier vetted by the VC and IIM director Vinita Sahay. The proposal will go to the state cabinet for approval.As per the scheme of things, the IIM will have two wings separated by NH-83. IIM gets 45 acres land to the western side of the NH. The remaining land is located to the east of the NH. With today's MoU, decks have now been cleared for IIM campus development. The campus project is likely to be completed in two years time.