English
History has been made at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)! Monday morning was etched in the history of AMU after Professor Naima Khatoon was officially appointed as the vice-chancellor of the AMU for a tenure of five years. She has now become the first woman to be given the charge of the university’s top position. The announcement was made in a notification by the AMU.
Why is this historic? For the first time in over 100 years, AMU has got its woman VC. Before Professor Khatoon, Begum Sultan Jahan became the Chancellor of AMU in 1920, making her the first and only woman to hold the position in the varsity.
“Naima Khatoon, Professor/Principal, Women’s College, as the Vice-Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University for a period of five years from the date on which she enters upon her office or the date on which she completes seventy years of age, whichever is earlier,” the notification from the university said.
Professor Naima Khatoon has been appointed as the first-ever woman Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University for a period of 5 years. pic.twitter.com/KghaLmw0QS
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2024
“It is also stated that the Election Commission of India vide their letter dated 09.04.2024 has stated that the Commission has no objection, 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,” the notification added.
It is to be noted, that this appointment has made AMU the third central university have a woman in a significant position. Apart from AMU, Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit is currently serving as the VC of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, while Najma Akhtar completed her tenure as Jamia Millia Islamia’s VC in 2023.
According to the data available on the official website of Aligarh Muslim University, Professor Naima Khatoon has served as Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Psychology before joining as Principal of Women’s College in July 2014.
She has been a Professor since July 2006, an Associate Professor since April 1998 and a lecturer since August 1988. Khatoon has also served at the National University of Rwanda, Central Africa for one year.
Naima Khatoon’s Academic Background
She holds a PhD degree in Political Psychology for which she worked at Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University. With her area of specialisation in Clinical, Health, Applied Social and Spiritual Psychology, Khatoon also served as the Deputy Coordinator of UGC assisted Special Assistance Program on Spiritual Psychology in the Department of Psychology, AMU.
The newly-appointed VC also delivered lectures at the University of Louis Ville, USA, University of Alba Lulia, Romania, Chulalongkorn University Bangkok, Hollings Centre, Istanbul, Turkey and Hollings Centre for International Dialogue, Boston, USA. Khatoon has also authored, co-authored and edited six books and published several papers in the Journals of National and International repute.
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