S Muneer
Aligarh: As is the usual practice in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) when a new Vice Chancellor takes over s/he makes changes, which are understood as signals of how the University is going to be run determining its future. However, the present AMU Vice Chancellor testing patience of all concerned eventually after around 22 months has started to bring about some changes. These changes everyone on the campus feel were long due. At last, the season of changes has dawned on AMU with a new Dean Students Welfare (DSW), two new Provosts and a new Proctor. Prof Mohammad Athar Ansari, Department Preventive Medicine, as the DSW. Prof Badar Jahan, Department of Fine Arts as Provost IG Hall, and Dr Naushad Waheed Ansari, Department of Physical Education as Provost Aftab Hall.
Prof Mohd Naved Khan, Department of Business Administration, has been appointed as the new Proctor. His curriculum vitae shows him to be a recognised academician in his field. The campus also knows and attaches to him the practice of filing RTI applications to bring about transparency and accountability in the practices of the University. It has been a growing concern on the campus both among the teachers and the students that same persons are continuing for long periods and some even without any fresh orders of continuation. It was strongly felt that the duration of being in the same position smells of corruption. Majority on the campus have welcomed the move with the rider ‘let’s see how things change’.
The students, who have been demanding the removal of the Proctor, are happy with the change of the Proctor and are hopeful that the elections to the AMU Students’ Union may now take place. The raised expectations of the students have given them a new impetus.
The senior teachers and old boys of the University are expecting transparency and accountability and pin their hope on the newly appointed DSW, Provosts and, above all, Proctor.
