Professor Naima Khatoon has been appointed as the first female Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, marking a historic moment in the institution’s 103-year history. Professor Gulrez had been serving as the Acting Vice-Chancellor since April 2023. Professor Naima Khatoon is the wife of the active Vice-Chancellor. Prior to her appointment, Begum Sultan Jahan of Bhopal had served as the Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University in 1920, but this is the first time a woman has been appointed as Vice-Chancellor. Professor Tarique Mansoor had completed his term in 2023.
Who is Professor Naima Khatoon?
Professor Naima Khatoon, a 70-year-old, hails from Odisha and received her primary education there. She graduated from Aligarh Muslim University in 1981, completed her post-graduation in 1983, and obtained her Ph.D. in Psychology in 1989. She started her career at Aligarh Muslim University as a teacher and later became a professor. Since 2016, she has been serving as the Principal of Women’s College.
Selection process for Vice-Chancellor:
The selection process for the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University is unique. The AMU Court and the AMU Executive Council play crucial roles in this process. According to the AMU website, the AMU Court currently has 194 members, with 76 seats vacant. This includes former Vice-Chancellors of AMU, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, members of the Executive Council, and deans of the university. As for the Executive Council, there are a total of 28 members, with 7 seats currently vacant. For the position of Vice-Chancellor, five names are selected by the Executive Council and forwarded to the AMU Court, from which three names are shortlisted and sent to the Ministry of Education. The Ministry then recommends one name to the President, who makes the final selection.In this election, Professor Rabbanee received 61 votes (Medical Department), Professor Faizan Mustafa received 53 votes (Law Department), and Professor Naima Khatoon received 50 votes (Principal of Women’s College). President utilized his power to select Professor Naima Khatoon for the Vice-Chancellor position.
Election Commission’s reaction:
The Election Commission of India has allowed the government to proceed with the appointment from the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) perspective, with the condition that no publicity or political mileage shall be derived from it.The tenure of the Vice-Chancellor at Aligarh Muslim University is five years. It is hoped that the new Vice-Chancellor will lead the university to new heights.
