HC upholds appointment of AMU’s 1st woman vice-chancellor

Allahabad High Court has validated professor Naima Khatoon’s appointment as Aligarh Muslim University’s Vice-Chancellor, dismissing challenges to the selection process. The court emphasized the adherence to regulations and hailed the appointment as a progressive step for gender representation. Khatoon expressed faith in the judiciary, viewing the verdict as a reaffirmation of democratic values within the higher education system.

AGRA: Dismissing all petitions that challenged the selection process, Allahabad high court upheld the appointment of professor Naima Khatoon as the vice-chancellor (VC) of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on Saturday. Khatoon, who earlier served as principal of women’s college in AMU, became the first woman to hold the VC’s post in the varsity’s over 100-year history, reports Mohammad Dilshad.HC division bench of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Donadi Ramesh found no procedural lapses, asserting the selection process adhered fully to the AMU Act, statutes and regulations. The court also emphasised the symbolic and progressive nature of her “historic appointment”, calling it a “major stride for gender representation and constitutional values in academic leadership”.Khatoon says HC ruling reaffirmation of democratic valuesThe HC division bench of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Donadi Ramesh further recognised that the “final discretion to appoint the VC lay with the ‘visitor’ of the university — the President of India, and no allegations of mala fide were established at that level”. The court had reserved the verdict on April 9 after hearing arguments from counsels representing the petitioner, AMU and the central govt.The petitions were filed in late 2023 by Prof Syed Afzal Murtaza Rizvi of Jamia Millia Islamia, Mujahid Beg from AMU’s medicine department and retired AMU prof M U Rabbani.They had raised objections after Khatoon, wife of then acting VC Mohd Gulrez, was “shortlisted” for the post.After HC’s decision, Khatoon, said, “I’ve always had the highest regard and faith in our judiciary. This verdict is not just a personal vindication, but a strong reaffirmation of institutional processes and democratic values in our higher education system. Let this judgment inspire confidence among all stakeholders and reaffirm our shared mission to uphold the university’s legacy of knowledge, justice and progress.”In Nov 2023, controversy erupted after the AMU’s executive council shortlisted “five eligible names”. An AMU professor wrote to the President, claiming “the process of selecting a new VC was not followed”. The ‘AMU court’ then forwarded three names, including that of Khatoon, to the ministry of education and the President, and the matter also went to HC.