[21st September, 2010.]

An Act to implement the decisions arrived at the Second East Asia Summit held on the 15th January, 2007, at Philippines and subsequently at the Fourth East Asia Summit held on the 25th October, 2009, at Thailand for the establishment of the Nalanda University in the State of Bihar as an international institution for pursuit of intellectual, philosophical, historical and spiritual studies and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

WHEREAS, the Second East Asia Summit held on the15th January, 2007 in the city of Cebu, Republic of Philippines, agreed to strengthen regional educational co-operation by tapping the East Asia Region's centres of excellence in education and for the revival of the Nalanda University located in the State of Bihar to improve regional understanding and the appreciation of one another's heritage and history;

AND WHEREAS, the Fourth East Asia Summit held on the 25th October, 2009 in Hua Hin, Thailand, supported the establishment of the Nalanda University and encouraged the networking and collaboration between the proposed Nalanda University and existing centres of excellence in the East Asia Summit so as to participating countries to build a community of learning where students, scholars, researchers and academicians can work together symbolising the spirituality that unites all mankind;

AND WHEREAS, it is considered expedient to make provision for implementing the decisions arrived at in the aforesaid East Asia Summits for establishment of the Nalanda University in the State of Bihar and declare it to be an institution of national importance. BE it enacted by Parliament in the Sixty-first Year of the Republic of India as follows:-