Lucknow, March 10 : The Lucknow University (LU) will upgrade into a research and multi-disciplinary education university after it receives the Rs 100 crore grant under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).

LU vice-chancellor Alok Kumar Rai said the university has decided to utilise 50 per cent funds to strengthen its research ecosystem while the remaining 50 per cent will be used to ensure availability of all required infrastructure on the campus for students to avail of the multi-disciplinary education.

'Our prime focus is on developing a centralised research facility on the campus which will be divided broadly into three sections: life sciences research, physical sciences research and technical research,' he said.

He further said that under strengthening our research, 'We also plan to develop a cluster-computing facility where all information and technology-related work could be carried out, making e-software for bioinformatics, statistics, economics and others available in our library so that respective departments can carry out research. We aim at 100 per cent Wi-fi campus with the help of this fund.'

The vice-chancellor said, "The second aspect in focus will be making the university a multi-disciplinary education-imparting institution for which we will be strengthening our infrastructure by revamping our undergraduate and postgraduate classrooms mainly in the Arts Quadrangle/Canning College which is over 100 years old building, revamp of historical Lal Baradari located in the heart of the campus and our teacher's quarters which are in very bad shape at present.

'Also, a five-storey lecture theatre building is proposed in the university's Atal block. This five-storey building is proposed in the sprawling 30,000 square feet of land. There is a desperate need for lecture theatre buildings on campus which will enable the university to hold big national level examinations, conferences, conclaves, academic events and others,' said Rai.

He said the lecture theatre building will have 25 conference rooms with a seating capacity of 100 each. Also, our sports infrastructure will be given a further push by making new tracks and courts for athletes and players.

Lucknow University, it may be recalled, was chosen for a Rs 100-crore grant with 25 other universities under the PM-USHA scheme. LU scored the highest 585 out of 650 in the test of parameters for the grant. In all, UP universities received the maximum grant of Rs 740 crore.

/IANS