News Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Bihar on November 20 to lay the foundation stone for the proposed Vikramshila Central University in Bhagalpur district, according to senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. The visit may also include the launch of several major infrastructure projects aimed at improving road and railway connectivity across the state.
The proposed university is planned near the historic site of the ancient Vikramshila learning centre at Antichak in Kahalgaon, Bhagalpur district. The institution is expected to revive the legacy of one of India's most renowned centres of Buddhist education and scholarship.
However, the Prime Minister's visit has not yet been officially confirmed. BJP media in-charge Danish Eqbal said the proposed November visit was tentative and that an official announcement was awaited.
During the visit, Modi is also expected to lay the foundation stones for several infrastructure projects, including road corridors and railway schemes supported by the Centre. According to officials, the projects under consideration include the Gorakhpur-Siliguri, Raxaul-Haldia and Patna-Purnia road corridors. The Kachchi Dargah-Bidupur road project, being implemented by the Bihar government, may also feature in the programme.
The proposed visit could coincide with the completion of one year of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government following its victory in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The NDA has remained in power in Bihar since 2005, although the state's political leadership and government composition have changed over the years.
### Focus on Vikramshila's historic legacy
Vikramshila was established in the ninth century AD during the reign of the Pala dynasty and became an important centre of Buddhist learning. It attracted scholars and students from different regions and played a significant role in the development of Buddhist philosophy and education.
The proposed Vikramshila Central University is intended to bring renewed attention to this historic educational heritage while strengthening higher education facilities in Bihar.
In a parliamentary reply in July 2025, the Union Education Ministry stated that the Bihar government had offered approximately 205 acres of land in the Antichak and Malakpur areas for the project.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary had also announced in June that the state government would work towards restoring Vikramshila's historical significance. In July, he said the proposed central university would be established on around 200 acres.
If the visit goes ahead as planned, the foundation stone ceremony and the proposed infrastructure announcements could mark an important step in the development of the Bhagalpur region and Bihar's wider connectivity network.
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