AMU gets 1st woman vice-chancellor days after row over selection process. Who is Naima Khatoon

AMU gets 1st woman vice-chancellor days after row over selection process. Who is Naima Khatoon

Lucknow: Months after her selection as a probable candidate, Naima Khatoon — the principal of the Women’s College of the Aligarh Muslim University — has been appointed as the university’s first woman vice-chancellor.

The Ministry of Education’s Department of Higher Education confirmed the appointment of Khatoon for a five-year term Monday.

According to AMU sources, Khatoon took charge from her husband and acting vice-chancellor Mohammad Gulrez around 8 pm Monday in the presence of a few officials, including the proctor.

Established in 1877 as Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental (MAO) college by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, AMU was incorporated through the Aligarh Muslim University Act, 1920. The AMU, which marked its centenary anniversary in 2020, had last seen a woman in its highest ranks way back in 1920 when Begum Sultan Jahan served as chancellor, an AMU official confirmed.

The central university was being run by an acting vice-chancellor since April 2023 when Tariq Mansoor stepped down from the top post.

“AMU had a woman chancellor, who was appointed in 1920 when it was established as a full-fledged university emerging out of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, its precursor. However, it has never had a woman as a vice-chancellor,” the official said.

In its letter to the AMU registrar Monday, under secretary to Government of India Praveer Saxena said that the President had appointed Prof. Naima Khatoon, professor/principal, Women’s College as the V-C of the Aligarh Muslim University for five years from the date on which she enters the office or the date on which she turns 70, whichever is earlier.

Since the Model Code of Conduct is in place, the government had to seek approval from the Election Commission to go ahead with the appointment. The EC gave its nod on condition that the government won’t derive “any political mileage from it.”

“It might be noted that the Election Commission vide letter dated 9 April, 2024, has stated that the commission has no objections from the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) angle, to the proposal related to the appointment of vice-chancellor, AMU subject to the condition that no publicity shall be there and no political mileage may be derived from it,” said the letter, a copy of which is with ThePrint.

Meanwhile, several faculty members have welcomed the appointment of a woman V-C, but questioned its timing, particularly because it coincided with PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Aligarh. The PM reportedly made a statement that he was “getting blessings of Muslim women” and also referenced the Pasmanda Muslim community in his speech.

“I appreciate the fact that a woman has become the V-C. As far as an individual name is concerned, I have my own reservations, but I welcome her on the post. There have been three more women teachers from AMU who have become vice-chancellors of other institutions, and now, a woman has become the V-C of AMU as well; this is a welcome step,” Prof. Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi from the history department told ThePrint.

He added that while women served on significant administrative posts, like deans, chairmans of departments and Head of Departments (HODs), the varsity had never had a woman V-C.

However, another faculty member expressed concerns about the “bad optics” surrounding the circumstances surrounding Khatoon’s appointment, particularly because it occurred on the same day as the PM’s rally in Aligarh, where he spoke about Muslim women and the Pasmanda community.

“The selection process was controversial and doubtful and raised questions about propriety as her husband voted for her despite suggestions that he should abstain from voting to avoid conflict of interest. Even as the matter is still in court, the PM came to Aligarh and made declarations about Pasmandas and women, and the same day, she was appointed and took charge in the dark of the night in the presence of only a few people. This is bad optics,” the member told ThePrint.

Who is Naima Khatoon?

Khatoon has been a distinguished member of the faculty at AMU’s Women’s College, holding various academic positions over the years. She began as a lecturer in August 1988, and she rose through the ranks to become an associate professor in April 1998 and a full-time professor in July 2006, according to AMU’s women’s college website.

Before she was appointed the Principal of the Women’s College in July 2014, Khatoon chaired the Department of Psychology. She has also taught at the National University of Rwanda, Central Africa for one academic year.

With a PhD in Political Psychology, Khatoon has also worked at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi, and specialises in the field of clinical, health, applied social and spiritual psychology.

Khatoon has held several key administrative roles at AMU. She has been the provost of Indira Gandhi Hall, served twice in the same capacity at Abdullah Hall, and has been a two-time elected member of the Women’s College Student Union. Her leadership roles also include serving as the deputy director of the residential coaching academy and as the deputy proctor of AMU.

A selection marred with controversy

Khatoon’s appointment comes about six months after the selection process of the AMU vice-chancellor drew allegations of impropriety and conflict of interest when an applicant, who was not picked by the AMU’s Executive Council, wrote to the President calling for setting aside the panel and restart of the process afresh.

In October 2023, from a pool of 20 candidates, the AMU’s Executive Council, its highest decision-making body, shortlisted five names, including Khatoon.

The list also included another AMU professor and renowned cardiologist M. Rabbani; biochemist and V-C of Srinagar’s Cluster University, Qayyum Husain; former V-C of Hyderabad’s NALSAR University of Law, Faizan Mustafa; and Prof. Furqan Qamar of Centre for Management Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia.

What led to controversy was the fact that the 19 members of the 27-member Council, who voted to choose the panel members, included the acting V-C Mohammad Gulrez. Gulrez was advised against voting to prevent a conflict of interest, but chose to partake regardless, according to media reports.

Prof. Mujahid Beg, who was one of the 36 applicants whose name was not picked by the Council for selection in the panel of five that was sent to the AMU court, had written to President Droupadi Murmu calling for setting aside the panel and restarting the process afresh.

“Surprisingly, the V-C (Gulrez) not only chaired the Council meeting but also voted for his wife. Another blow to free and fair elections… The V-C did not declare his impartiality in respect of the candidates, so as to dispel any justifiable doubt about his independence and the impartiality of the proceedings, as his own wife is one of the candidates staking her claim for the post of vice-chancellor,” Beg said in the letter.

(Edited by Richa Mishra)