Seems the tough road on way to the establishment of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus at Kishanganj in Bihar is finally coming to an end. Lt Gen (Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah, the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University on Wednesday ensured the same in a meeting to Human Chain delegation featuring Mohammad Aslam, Mohammad Mudassir Alam, Minnat Rahmani, Tauquir Alam and Mohammad Amin. The Vice Chancellor said that the university has received the President of India’s approval to go ahead with establishment of a special centre in Bihar’s north-eastern district. Mohammad Aslam, President Human Chain said, “the Vice Chancellor and Prof Javaid Akhter, OSD of AMU centres were highly enthusiastic to give a physical shape to the project which is delaying due to all wrong reasons since its announcement in 2008.”
Shah said that the university is preparing Detailed Project Report (DPR) and Detailed Feasibility Report (DFR) as per the guidelines of Union Ministry of Human Resource & Development (MHRD). Once the university sends the DPR and DFR to the ministry the same would be placed the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) for grant of funds, added the AMU VC.
Discussing about the project of establishing the AMU centres out of Aligarh as per the Section 12 (2) of the AMU Act, the Vice chancellor said that this is going to be a boon for one of India’s most educationally and economically backward district of Kishanganj. Further he said that the university is looking ahead to start the session at Kishanganj from 2013 if things fall at right place. Shah, who is also the elder brother of Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah mentioned that till the class rooms and hostels are constructed on the actual site we can start the Centre with few courses at the rented buildings. However, the rented buildings need to be arranged by the government of Bihar and it must be in the district headquarters of Kishanganj, said AMU VC.
In fact, Shah was highly pleased with the efforts of Human Chain and wished its support as well to make the vision of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan a reality. The Vice Chancellor said that the old boys of Aligarh Muslim University should come ahead to fulfill the mission and vision of the founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. I am sure that AMU Kishanganj is going to serve its purpose if old boys and activist group like Human Chain come forward to support the university administration, added Shah.
Once we receive the token grant from the Ministry of Finance the construction work would be started at 224.02 acres land on immediate basis, said Prof Javaid Akhter, OSD of AMU centres who was also present in the meeting. The university is going to write the government of Bihar to provide all support to make the proposal feasible that includes connecting road to the university main gate from state highway, drinking water treatment plant and electric sub-station, added Akhter, the former Dean Faculty of Management, Aligarh Muslim University. Akhter has made it clear that apart from above mentioned support needed from Bihar government, all other costs within the 224.02 acres premises would be bore by university itself including the buildings.
An AMU alumni and resident of Kishanganj, Mohammad Mudassir Alam said that if the university gets rented buildings from the state government the session would be started in 2013 with initial courses like Diploma in Engineering for boys and girls. The university is also planning to start schools at three levels namely, nursery, primary and high school so that maximum children of the area can take the advantage, told Minnat Rahmani from Human Chain. The meeting of Human Chain delegation which was featuring Mohammad Aslam, Minnat Rahmani and Tauquir Alam was fruitful and it seems dream come true for the people of Seemanchal who are deprived in almost all affairs of life especially education, said a delighted Tauquir Alam, a research scholar from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
It should be noted that the AMU was asked by former Minister of HRD Arjun Singh during UPA 1 government in 2008 to open the centres of university outside Aligarh to provide contemporary education to minority concentrated districts. As per the proposal the Centre at Kishanganj would have medical college, engineering college, management faculty along with many modern courses including schools. Human Chain – a non-government society of Delhi based Seemanchal people has worked as a bridging link among the main stakeholders AMU administration, Central government and state government since its inception in the year 2009.
