Naima Khatoon was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University, making history by becoming the first woman to hold the esteemed post in over 100 years.

Naima Khatoon was selected by the Ministry of Education (Moe) following clearance from President Droupadi Murmu, a visitor to the university. They said that in light of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) being in effect, permission from the Election Commission of India (ECI) was also requested.

A senior official told news agency PTI, "Naima Khatoon, Principal, Women's College, has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of AMU for five years. The ECI has stated that the commission has no objection from the MCC angle to the proposal related to the appointment of the AMU VC subject to the condition that no political mileage be derived from it."

After earning her doctorate in psychology from AMU, Khatoon joined the same department in 1988 as a lecturer and was promoted to professor in 2006. Before being named the Women's College principal in 2014, she stayed on there.

Professor Mohammad Gulrez, Khatoon's spouse, was named it Acting Vice Chancellor last year when Tariq Mansoor, the previous VC, resigned from his position after being nominated to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

In October of last year, Khatoon's inclusion on the shortlist for the top position sparked controversy as several university authorities accused him of having a conflict of interest.

Five of the 20 qualified applications were picked by the Executive Council (EC), AMU's top decision-making body of 27 members, on October 30, 2023. For the position of VC, a total of 36 people applied.

In a letter to President Murmu, Mujahid Beg, one of the 36 applicants whose name was not picked by the EC, had called for setting aside the panel and "re-initiate the process afresh".

"Surprisingly, the VC not only chaired the meeting of the EC but also voted for his wife. Another blow to free and fair elections… The VC did not declare his impartiality in respect of the candidates, to dispel any justifiable doubt about his independence and the impartiality of the proceedings, as his wife is one of the candidates staking her claim for the post of Vice-Chancellor," Beg had said.

Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College was established in 1875, and after the Aligarh Muslim University Act was passed in 1920, it changed its name to AMU. AMU will turn 100 years old in September 2020, making it one of India's oldest institutions of higher learning. Thus far, the institution has not had a female vice-chancellor.

In 1920, Begum Sultan Jahan was appointed as the AMU chancellor. She continues to be the only woman to have held the post. AMU celebrated its centenary in September 2020, marking a significant milestone as one of India's oldest universities. With Dr Naima Khatoon's appointment, the institution takes a historic stride towards gender inclusivity at the highest administrative level.

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