Naima Gulrez makes history in AMU; sparks controversy

The principal of AMU Women’s College becomes the first woman to be shortlisted for the VC’s post but a section fo teaches makes charges of nepotism in her selection

Naima K. Gulrez  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

As the race for the next Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University enters its final phase, the name of Prof. Naima K. Gulrez in the panel of five potential candidates is generating the most interest for more than one reason.

She is the first woman in the more than 100-year-old history of the prestigious institution whose name has been shortlisted for the panel but it was her husband and acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Mohammad Gulrez who headed the Executive Council meeting that shortlisted the names.

Out of 20 candidates that were proposed for the EC’s consideration, five were chosen through a voting process using ballot papers. Now, the AMU Court will select three out of five and send them for the approval of the President of India, who is the Visitor of the central university.

Proximity to President Murmu, Minister Pradhan

A professor of Psychology, Ms Naima has been the principal of the Women’s College of the university since 2014 and is known for her academic credentials and administrative acumen.

Hailing from Odisha, the buzz on the campus is that her cultural affinity with the President of India and the Education Minister will work in her favour. She also happens to be the spouse of the acting V-C Prof Mohammad Gulrez, a Pasmanda Muslim. Insiders say Prof. Naima ticks all the boxes that the current dispensation seeks from influential Muslim figures and cite the success story of Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar, who was the first woman Controller of Examinations in AMU before moving to Jamia.

Conflict of interest

But there is a catch. Prof. Naima also carries the baggage of the previous regime led by Prof. Tariq Mansoor. A section of the AMU teachers sees Prof. Gulrez as the proxy of the previous VC, who is now a BJP Vice President and charges the acting VC has deliberately kept himself out of the race to make the selection process look fair.

They question Prof. Gulrez chairing the EC meeting and exercising his vote. The minutes of the EC meeting, a copy of which is with The Hindu, notes that the issue of conflict of interest was raised by two members but the Chairman (Prof Gulrez) citing a Department of Higher Education letter of 2015 said the extent of conflict of interest is only for the candidates themselves. His view was supported by the University Registrar and the Visitor’s nominee. They said as the VC himself was not a candidate the question of conflict of interest didn’t arise.

“For the sake of fairness, he should have recused himself. If the Prime Minister is all for the promotion of Muslim women and the Pasmanda section of the community, he is also against nepotism in public life. I hope the Ministry will take it into account,” said a senior professor, requesting anonymity.

He said the issue would come up again when the University Court shortlisted three out of these five candidates for the final approval of the Visitor later this week. “The acting VC will chair the Court meeting as well. Will he recuse himself this time,” he wondered. The AMU Court, the highest governing body of the university has 193 members but at present 91 seats are vacant.

The other four candidates in the fray include eminent Prof. Faizan Mustafa, vice chancellor of Chanakya National Law University in Patna, Prof. Kayyum Hussain, the VC of Cluster University in Srinagar, Prof M.U. Rabbani, a noted cardiolgoist in AMU’s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Prof Furqan Qamar from Jamia Millia Islamia University. Prof.Qamar has previously served as the VC of the University of Rajasthan and Central University of Himachal Pradesh. Prof. Qamar is the only candidate on the roster who is not an AMU alumnus.

Though the first Chancellor of AMU was Begum Sultan Jahan of Bhopal but Chancellor is more of a ceremonial post.

Since its inception, the university has been seen as a conservative place for women with its founder Sir Syed Ahmed Khan advocating purdah-centric home education for women. However, over the years the outlook gradually changed with co-education being imparted in professional and post-graduate courses. Recently, Prof Nishat Fatima became the first Chief Librarian of the prestigious Maulana Azad Library.