Report – S Muneer
Aligarh. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan dreamt secular education for Muslims to prepare for the changing India. His dream it appears is in question at the moment as is secularism fighting for its survival in the present India.
The AMU has recently been involved in many controversies as carried by the media, such as fees scam, law and order, selection committees, etc.
Recently a senior faculty Professor Rachana Kaushal, Department of Political Science filed a complaint with the Vice Chancellor against the Chairperson of the Department, Professor Nafees Ansari. The Chairperson also holds the post of Director of Distance Education, known as Director Emeritus on the campus, having already served in that capacity continuously for a very long time without a break, when contacted said “Some misunderstanding issue not a communal related matter”.
While talking to the reporter Professor Rachana Kaushal said that she filed the complaint on September 22, 2025 through D. No 2665/Pol Sc to the Vice Chancellor. Soon after receiving the complaint the Vice Chancellor called Professor Kaushal to her office for a meeting. Professor Kaushal informed the Vice Chancellor who listened to the audio recording of communal utterances by the Chairman and expressed shock. However, till date there is no response from any office of the university even after four months. Professor Kaushal also informed that after waiting for a response from the offices of the University for about a month on October 22, 2025 filed RTI application requesting to be informed on the remarks of the Vice Chancellor on the complaint and the action of the other offices on the same. She further informed that she received a reply to the RTI reply on November 11, 2025, stating “The letter….. are under consideration of the Vice Chancellor”. Professor Kaushal added that unwittingly the CPIO used the conjunct “are” whereas he should have used “is”, this maybe because the Vice Chancellor office is fully aware that there have been some other written communications with the Vice Chancellor. Professor Kaushal also mentioned that Professor Nafees Ansari was not eligible to appointed as professor.
Professor Kaushal received a letter from the Dean of Social Sciences dated September 2, 2025 through D No 2984/FSS seeking explanation regarding the letter from some students, without providing the letter. She requested the Dean of Social Sciences to be informed on the power a Dean has to call such an explanation. The Dean replied on Sept 4, 2025, that higher authority has directed “necessary” examination. In a note to the Dean Prof Kaushal requested to be informed on which higher authority has directed the Dean. But received no reply, frustrated she filled RTI application on December 7, 2025 requesting a certified copy of the letter of the students and the directions of the higher authority directing the Dean. The reply being not satisfactory she appealed on December 12, 2025 to the Appellate Authority pointing out the inadequacy of the reply of the CPIO, however, the Dean till date has not disposed of the appeal. Professor Kaushal claims that this shows a communalism prevailing in the campus at different level.
The Member in Charge Public Relations office was contacted through a WhatsApp message to make a comment on the issue; however, no reply was received till the publication of this news.
The Vice Chancellor was contacted through a WhatsApp message to make a comment on the issue; however, no reply was received till the publication of this news.
