• The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2014 was introduced by the Minister of Human Resource Development, Ms. Smriti Zubin Irani, in the Lok Sabha on August 14, 2014.  The Bill amends the Central Universities Act, 2009. 

• The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill states that the Bill seeks to set up a central university in Bihar, in addition to the existing one.  It states that the large-scale requirement of access to, and quality in, higher education was not being met by just one university in the state.  It also changes the name of the existing central university.          

• Existing university:  The Bill proposes to rename the existing Central University of Bihar, to Central University of South Bihar, as it is located south of the river Ganges. 

• Proposed university:  The new central university, proposed to be set up by the Bill, will be called Mahatma Gandhi Central University.  It will be located in Motihari in East Champaran, Bihar, in the territory north of the river Ganges.

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