Students demand reinstatement of the expunged syllabus amidst allegations of administrative malpractice.
Team Clarion
ALIGARH – The controversy over the scrapping of the Islamic section from the Class XI entrance examination syllabus at the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has refused to die down. Upset over the removal of the Islamic section, students are on the warpath with the university administration.
Amid widespread protests, students claim that the decision was influenced by some vested interests in the administration seeking to advance their personal interests. “A few people in high positions in the university administration, who are involved in bribery and corruption, are trying to sell AMU. They have infested this great institution and are eating it like termites. But now students have become conscious of their tricks.”
In response to the backlash, the university administration issued a clarification stating that the decision to remove the Islamic section was made during an Academic Council (AC) meeting in March, predating the tenure of the current Vice-Chancellor Prof. Naima Khatoon. The clarification pointed out that the decision was requested by several professors of the university.
However, students have refused to buy this explanation. It was revealed that in March, Prof. Muhammad Gulrez, the husband of the current Vice-Chancellor, was the Acting Vice-Chancellor.
When approached by the media, Prof. Abdul Hameed Fazli, head of the Department of Islamic Studies and an AC member, asserted that he was present at the AC meeting and the decision to remove the Islamic part was neither taken nor was it part of the meeting agenda or minutes.
Students claim their efforts to discuss the issue with the Vice-Chancellor were thwarted by some officials several times. Eventually, at a meeting with the V-C on May 11 the students were informed that a review committee had been tasked with the responsibility to sort out the issue. However, students claim that certain discrepancies were detected in the dates given to them by the V-C further deepening the crisis.
Following media coverage, the university administration’s efforts to dismiss the matter through rhetoric and letters have only led to more scrutiny. Students claim that there have been five to six meetings with top officials, including two with the Vice-Chancellor, but no resolution has been found yet.
