Purbanchal University Approves Rs 1.99 Billion Budget, Prioritises AI and Healthcare

Purbanchal University has endorsed an annual budget of Rs 1.99 billion for the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84 BS, placing artificial intelligence curricula, IT infrastructure, and medical services at the centre of its institutional agenda.

The university's 43rd senate meeting unanimously approved the financial outlay of Rs 1,991,697,000 alongside its annual policy framework on Tuesday, according to reports by Nagarik News and Ratopati. Chaired by Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel, who serves as the university's pro-chancellor, the assembly convened at the education ministry in Singha Durbar, where Registrar Prof. Dr Panna Bahadur Thapa tabled the revenue and expenditure estimates.

Under the newly adopted plan, the university aims to expand its central premises by constructing integrated physical infrastructure across 805 bighas of land in Gothgaun in accordance with its long-term master plan, Rajdhani Daily reported. A major component of the capital development includes completing a 100-bed maternal and child hospital currently under construction at the Gothgaun compound. The administration also intends to partner with Koshi Hospital to upgrade the standard of clinical instruction.

On the academic front, the university will design and roll out specialized curricula in artificial intelligence, data science, and cybersecurity, as well as niche degrees in engineering and medicine, Khabarhub reported. University administration and student services will transition toward an integrated digital platform to improve transparency and operational delivery.

Addressing the senate, Minister Pokharel urged university leadership to adapt higher education to evolving technological and global market trends. He emphasized that universities must steer graduates away from conventional job-hunting toward entrepreneurship, calling for distinct operational timetables and accountability frameworks to ensure the budget's execution.

Education Secretary Chudamani Paudel underlined that budgetary disbursements must translate directly into structural classroom improvements, while Finance Secretary Ghanshyam Upadhyay described the proposed fiscal blueprint as encouraging, according to the coverage.

The senate also cleared plans to set up a dedicated research centre focused on climate change and disaster risk mitigation, introduce dual-degree and student exchange arrangements with international universities, and expand targeted scholarship quotas for marginalized communities.

Additionally, the council confirmed three appointments to the university’s executive council for three-year tenures: Prof. Dr Paricha Upadhyay Dhungel, dean of the faculty of medicine; Prof. Dr Krishna Prasad Pandey, dean of arts, law, and education; and Prof. Mohan Bahadur Basnet of the PU School of Management in Biratnagar.