Patna College plans revival of science courses after nearly a century

Patna: Patna College, a constituent unit of Patna University (PU) and the oldest institution of higher education in Bihar, is likely to revive science teaching on its campus after nearly 100 years.

The proposal has already been cleared by PU’s academic council and syndicate and the college has been directed to submit a detailed plan for onward transmission to the state govt.Established in 1863, Patna College was initially affiliated to Calcutta University. At that time, it offered science subjects such as physics, chemistry and mathematics, along with courses in humanities and social sciences, up to the bachelor honours level.

With the creation of PU in 1917, the college was brought under its jurisdiction and went on to introduce postgraduate (MSc) teaching in these three science disciplines in 1919.A major change came in 1927 when science teaching was separated from Patna College and transferred to the newly established Science College. Its buildings were inaugurated in Nov 1928. Over time, Science College expanded its academic scope to include a wide range of disciplines such as botany, zoology, geology, statistics, computer applications, biochemistry, biotechnology and environmental science, among others.

Now, almost a century later, Patna College is preparing to reclaim its role in science education. Principal Anil Kumar said the groundwork was underway. “A detailed proposal with respect to the selection of subjects to be taught and the requirement of academic staff and infrastructural facilities for these subjects would be submitted to the concerned authorities at the earliest. After introduction of science teaching, the college will also get a better grade from the NAAC,” he said.