Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)

Aligarh Muslim University Where i have been studying i got degree of B.A Islamic Studies under department of social science, here is the simple overview of this university, The University grew out of the work of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan who in the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 felt that it was important for Muslims to gain modern education and become involved in the public life and Government Services in India at that time. Raja Jai Kishan helped Sir Syed a lot in establishing this university. The British decision to replace the use of the knowledge of Persian in the 1830s for Government employment and as the language of Courts of Law caused deep anxiety among Muslims of the sub-continent. Sir Syed then clearly foresaw the imperative need for the Muslims to acquire proficiency in the English language and "Western Sciences" if the community were to maintain its social and political clout, particularly in Northern India. He began to prepare the road map for the formation of a Muslim University by starting various schools. In 1864, the Scientific Society of Aligarh was set up to disseminate Western works into native languages as a prelude to prepare the community to accept "Western Education". Sir Sultan Mahommed Shah, The Aga Khan III has contributed greatly to Aligarh Muslim University in terms collecting funds and providing financial support.

In 1875, Sir Syed founded the Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College in Aligarh and patterned the college after Oxford and Cambridge universities that he had visited on a trip to England. His objective was to build a college in tune with the British education system but without compromising its Islamic values.

It was one of the first purely residential educational institution set up either by the Government or the public in India. Over the years it gave rise to a new educated class of Muslims who were active in the political system of the British Raj, and who would serve as a catalyst for change among not only the Muslim population of India, but of the entire subcontinent.

The college was originally affiliated with Calcutta University, and was transferred to the Allahabad University in 1885. Near the turn of the century it began publishing its own magazine, and established a law school. It was also around this time that a movement began to have it develop into a university to stand on its own. To achieve this goal, many expansions were made with more and more programs added to the curriculum. A school for girls was established in 1907. By 1921(exact year 1920), the College was transformed into a university, and it was named Muslim University. Its growth continued. The first chancellor of the university was a female, Sultan Shah Jahan Begum. In 1927, a school for the blind was established, and the following year, a Medical School was attached to the university. By the end of the 1930s, the university had also developed its Engineering faculty.

Current status

Aligarh Muslim University is a residential academic institution offering more than 250 Courses in traditional and modern branch of Education. It has currently 12 Faculties viz. Agricultural Sciences, Arts, Commerce, Engineering & Technology, Law, Life Sciences, Management Studies & Research, Medicine, Science, Theology, Unani Medicine and Social Science [citation needed].

Currently the University has almost thirty thousand students, and over two thousand faculty members with over eighty departments of study. It continues to function as an education institution in India, and draws students from a number of countries, especially countries in Africa, West Asia and South East Asia. In some courses, seats are reserved for students from SAARC and Commonwealth countries [citation needed].

Very recently the university got into a legal battle when it announced a fifty percent reservation for Muslims for some of its courses. The Division bench of Allahabad High Court struck down two sections of Aligarh Muslim University (Amendment) Act, 1981 and also rejected the claims of minority status of AMU as it was set up by an act of Parliament.[1] The Supreme Court of India later enforced the status quo and ordered AMU not to go forward with the religious reservation plan.[2]

It hosts one of India's premier Engineering Colleges, The Zakir Hussain College of Engineering & Technology (ZHCET), named after a former president of India. ZHCET as it is generally known was recently offered IIT Status by Ministry of Human Resource Development and the college is now in the second phase of the six phase process of becoming an Indian Institute of Technology. Dr Jawed Hussain, a professor of Applied Physics, after whose name United Nations gives annual prize for young scientist was a former Dean.

In September 2007, following a murder of a student and subsequent student protests, a sine die has been imposed and the University has asked its students to vacate the hostels. Though normalcy has been restored on campus it still remains unclear when the institution will reopen.After the Sine Dine,the university is going to open from 6th November-27th November according to the various faculties. [3]

[edit] Eminent Personalities of A.M.U

* Ishwari Prasad, historian
* Zakir Hussain, Former President of India
* Liaquat Ali Khan, First prime Minister of Pakistan
* Ch. Abdul Hameed Khan, Rehabilitation Commissioner of East and West Pakistan.
* Dr. Rahi Masoom Reza, Eminent Writer
* Dhyan Chand, Greatest hockey player ever
* K Asif Legendary Direcor of Mughl-e-Azam fame
* Javed Akhtar, Famous lyricist and scriptwriter of Salim-Jawed fame of Sholay
* Ali Ashraf Fatmi, Minister of state, HRD, Govt of India 2003-present
* Mushtaq Ali, Former Indian Cricket Team captain
* Prof P.S. Gill, Renowned Physicist and Head Physics Department
* Lala Amarnath, Former Indian Cricket team Captain & Father of Mohinder Amarnath
* Prof. Mohammad Habib, Noted historian and freedom fighter
* Dr. Irfan Habib, World Famous Historian
* Zafar Iqbal, Former India Hockey Team Captain
* Asrarul Haq Majaz, Urdu Poet and writer of AMU Tarana
* Naseeruddin Shah, Bollywood Actor
* Prof. Aley Ahmad Suroor, Famous Urdu critic and writer
* Prof. Rasheed Ahmad siddiqi, Famous Urdu critic and writer
* Kaifi Azmi, Urdu Poet
* Bilquis Azmat Gauhar, professor, meteorologist, writer, 1922-2003
* Syed Zahoor Qasim, Father of Oceanography and polar research in India
* Prof. Moonis Raza,Noted academician, freedom fighter and former vice chancellor Delhi University
* Anubhav Sinha, Famous director of Hindi movies (Tum Bin, Dus, Cash etc)
* Dileep Tahil, Famous Hindi movies artist
* Sahib Singh Verma, Senior BJP Leader, ex Chief Minister of Delhi State & ex-Union Cabinet Minister
* Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Current Vice President of India, former chairman of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), Academician, Former diplomat, and former Vice-Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University
* Prof P.K. Abdul Aziz, Vice-Chancellor Aligarh Muslim University 2007-Cont