100-year-old AMU had no woman VC ever; will it this time?

Aligarh (UP) : Why not a woman vice chancellor for Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) this time? The issue has been flagged by various intellectuals, professionals and teachers associated with the iconic institution ever since the resignation of Dr Tariq Mansoor from the post after his nomination to the Uttar Pradesh legislative Council.

In the hundred years’ history of the world famous institution, no woman has ever held the post of  vice chancellor.

Noted UN health and development expert US-based Dr Farah Usmani, who herself belongs to Uttar Pradesh and is an alumna of AMU, says there are so many deserving Muslim women in India and her home state of Uttara Pradesh itself who can be given a chance to manage the affairs of the iconic institution.

Dr Usmani is also the Founder and Chairperson of Rising Beyond The Ceiling, a global initiative to highlight the achievements of Muslim women of India and contribute towards changing their stereotypical narrative. Besides, she has authored a book the Hundred Inspiring Women of UP.

In her view, AMU itself has produced so many wonderful women academicians and professionals in various fields who can well be considered for the post.

Scholar of AMU movement Dr Rahat Abrar describes the situation as “unfortunate”.  Though a woman, Begam Bhopal Sultan Jahan was made the University’s first chancellor when it was founded in 1920, but for the post of VC, no name of any woman has ever been proposed, he said. Dr Abrar pointed out that at least three alumnae of AMU had adorned the prestigious post in other universities. He named Dr Najma Akhtar, VC of Jamia Millia Islamia of Delhi, Dr Anwar Jahan Zuberi, who held the post at Calicut University and Prof Neelima Gupta, an AMU alumna, who has been vice chancellor of Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj University, Kanpur.

AMU Court member Prof Hafiz Ilyas, also a former chairman of the Psychology Department of the uUniversity, said that he had no reservation against a woman as vice chancellor of the university. If there is a deserving candidate, he will be very happy to see such a woman appointed to the post. Women are doing so well in every field, so why cant they do this job, he added.

However, Prof Ilyas, who has been elected as AMU Executive  Council (EC) Member and Court member four times, expressed disappointment that AMU women were not much inclined to become member of these bodies, ‘They should contest the election for these bodies as by becoming their part, they would get familiar with the working of the statute of the university and issues relating to its implementation, he said.

Dr Zakia Siddiqui, former principal of AMU’s Women’s College, and a noted champion of the rights of women, is of the view that AMU had come a log way as regards its mindset towards women from the days when she was a student of the university and later a teacher. ” I think, the institution is today ready to accept a woman as its head, and it was high time that a deserving candidate was given this chance. Our institution itself has produced so many women scholars, academicians, scientists and professionals in every field,” she pointed out.

” I have ever been a fighter for the cause of liberation and advancement of women, and will be the happiest person to see a woman at the post of vice chancellor in my lifetime,” she added.

Dr Asif Hasan, Professor in the Cardiology Department of Jawaharalal Nehru Medical College of AMU Medical College, while favouring the proposal for  a woman VC,  sought to underline that while selecting the candidate, it should be ensured that “the candidate should have a scientific temperament, be broadminded and  have socialist leanings.”  The university should have no place for religious orthodoxy, he emphasised.

For selection of AMU vice chancellor, the outgoing vice chancellor proposes some names out of which the Executive Council shortlists five and then these names are forwarded to the university Court, which is the supreme governing body of the institution. The Court selects three names out of the five and sends it to the Visitor of the university who is the President of India. The President selects one name out of the three.

Prof Ilyas said that it was unfortunate that this time outgoing Vice Chancellor Dr Tariq Mansoor did not propose any names, thus abdicating his responsibility associated with his post.

—-INDIA NEWS STREAM