During the last few years, Bihar has quietly received five Centrally funded universities, while over the same period Odisha has got only one Central University in Koraput.
Odisha deserves at least three Central Universities in Odisha, strongly feels Professor Chitta Baral of Arizona State University.Dr Baral in his letter to the Odisha Government has pointed out that these proposals for setting up Central Universities are needed to be pursued sincerely.
Revival of Ratnagiri-lalitagiri-Udayagiri Mahaviharas is possiblealong the lines of Centrally funded Nalanda and Vikramshila University in Bihar. Hence, Odisha needs to pursue a Central University in the Buddhist triangle of Ratnagiri-lalitagiri-Udayagiri, he said.
In recent years, the State Government has been emphasising on the connection between Nalanda and the Ratnagiri-lalitagiri-Udayagiri Mahaviharas. The Prime Minister and the HRD Minister should be invited to see these sites and requested to grant a Central University reviving these Mahaviharas in Odisha, along the lines of the revival of Nalanda andVikramshila Mahaviharas. Similarly, there has been a demand to establish a Central University in Puri along the lines of BHU,Varanasi, he said further. Besides, Prof Baral said there is a need for a Central Agricultural University in the State. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had already written to the Center for setting up of a Central Agricultural University. This should be followed up and the Union Government be requested to either establish a new Central Agricultural University in Odisha or upgrade OUAT to a Central University (similar to the upgradation of Rajendra Agricultural University in Bihar), pointed out Dr Baral.
Chief Minister Patnaik, the Union Ministers from Odisha and the Members of Parliament are needed to pursue the case as other State Governments are taking away their share from the Union Government, he maintained.