HRD Min asks AMU to hold back Murshidabad campus

Updated on: Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Aligarh Muslim University's move to set up its outstation centres has hit a road-block with the Human Resource Development Ministry directing the University "to hold back" the opening of a centre at Murshidabad in West Bengal.

A senior University official said the University had received a directive from the Ministry earlier this week for "postponing the opening" of the Murshidabad centre, which was scheduled for September 26.

The HRD Ministry's directive has apparently come in the wake of a long-drawn controversy over the issue.

A section of members belonging to the University's Executive Council and the University Court had earlier approached the Ministry and raised serious objections to opening outstation centres.

The members claimed that the opening of outstation campuses violates the constitution of the Central University.

"The HRD Ministry's belated move is justified because the AMU authorities were rushing through with this project without receiving the approval of the Ministry on the critical issue pertaining to the amendment of the university statutes," AMU Staff Association Secretary Jamshed Siddique told.

Siddique further added that the decision of the University to open outstation centres also violates the judgement of the Allahabad High Court, directing the University not to take any major policy decisions till the Supreme Court decides in another case pertaining to the University's constitution.

Senior University officials, however, are seeking to soft pedal the Ministry's directive, saying, "it is a technical objection, which would be sorted out soon."

HRD Min asks AMU to hold back Murshidabad campus

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