Days after Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) vice chancellor Lt Gen Zameeruddin Shah had alleged that Union HRD minister had called the university's off-campus centres in Kerala, Bengal and Bihar illegal, the minister in her recent meeting with him reportedly said that these centres should be involved in research.
"The minister wants the centres to conduct research. We informed her that one of the problems was these centres do not run in permanent buildings. For research, we need to have our own buildings. These are running at temporary addresses. I am quite satisfied with the meeting and hope that the ministry will take up AMU-related issues in a positive manner," said Shah.
"The minister wants the centres to conduct research. We informed her that one of the problems was these centres do not run in permanent buildings. For research, we need to have our own buildings. These are running at temporary addresses. I am quite satisfied with the meeting and hope that the ministry will take up AMU-related issues in a positive manner," said Shah.
Two centres — Murshidabad in Bengal and Mallapuram in Kerala — have LLB and BEd degrees and MBA courses. Kishanganj has BEd and MBA but offers no course in law. The administration has for long been trying to introduce three courses every year to enhance the academic environment but has been unable to do so because of fund shortage. The meeting was held between the minister and a three-member delegation from the university, consisting of Shah, pro vice chancellor S Ahmad Ali and registrar Afsar Ali on Thursday in Delhi.
At the meeting, Irani reportedly reminded the delegation that the university had not used Rs 90 crore of the funds given to it. AMU was allocated Rs 546 crore under the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) of which the government has released Rs 302 crore so far. "We also discussed why the funds have remained unutilized. The suggestion on research is a positive sign. It means the minister does not consider them illegal. But we first need to have post-graduation courses. We have urged for adequate funds for long-pending development projects," PVC Ali said.
The VC presented a copy to Irani of a memorandum which had been earlier submitted to PM Modi on March 5. The delegation also met HRD joint secretary SS Sandhu and was assured that they will get the funds approved by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC).
Controller Javaid Akhter, who was not the part of the delegation, told that there are better things expected from the off-campus centres. "The Bar Council has visited the campus for inspection and investigation and we are working for approval for the law faculty. The same is the case with National Council for Teachers' Education (NCTE) approval for B Ed courses. These centers do not have research facilities as they are new and will gradually evolve." The Law course at the AMU off campus centers has not been recognized by Bar Council of India and the B.Ed course does not have the approval of National Council of Teacher Education. Sources say among many issues the approval of some of the AMU center courses was also discussed.
