Aligarh, Oct 9 (IANS) The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) will set up a state-of-the-art Nanotechnology centre to facilitate advanced research and studies in material sciences, a university official said Thursday.

'For setting up the centre, the Department of Science and Technology (DST), governed by the Government of India has just allocated over Rs.24 million,' AMU spokesperson Rahat Abrar told IANS.

'At present, there are only 20 seats in the Nanotechnology course which is being offered by AMU at the postgraduate level. With the setting up of the centre, the varsity would be able to enrol more students in the course,' Abrar added.

Nanotechnology, the science of understanding the structure and behaviour of materials at atomic or molecular level, is an emerging field across the globe, varsity officials said.