Varsities to buy sick PSU

 Although the University of Calcutta has its lab for physical sciences in north Kolkata and a biological sciences lab in upmarket Ballygunj in the south,  the facilities still need room to expand in order to attract fresh talent. The Jadavpur University has all its labs in its own campus.

 Since the National Instruments Factory is right next  to the Jadavpur University, the grapevine suggested that it would be Jadavpur, and not the University of Calcutta, which would buy out the unit.

The sources said National Instruments, had in the past, worked on major projects like night vision equipment for the armed forces but research work had petered out in recent years.

Phone calls to National Instruments went unanswered today.

Right next to National Instruments is another sick central government-owned PSU -- Bharat Ophthalmic Glass -- a lab which was once at the forefront of materials research but is now in doldrums. This lab, too, is expected to go on the block soon.