Launching of classes at the AMU Murshidabad Centre is a historical step in the direction of expansion of Sir Syed’s dream and the great legacy of AMU to spread secular and modern education in the most backward region of the nation, said Professor P.K. Abdul Azis, Vice Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University.
Speaking at the commencement of BALLB and MBA classes ceremony held at Jangipura, Murshidabad on March 6, Prof. Azis said the AMU Centre will help in regaining the past glory and cultural legacy of Murshidabad, while providing modern education for the backward Muslim and other communities of this region, bringing into the fold, a great uneducated mass of the people into the mainstream education and thus contributing to the development of the nation.
The Centre will carry forward the great legacy and cultural ethos of AMU which is knitted as part of its cultural ethos. The efforts are being made to replicate Aligarh sensibilities into the system and the difference is that academic excellence will be going to be the dominating objective of all its functioning.
Prof. Azis further stated that the University has embarked upon a detailed project amounting to rupees thirteen hundred crores and submitted it for the consideration of Expenditure Finance Committee of the Government of India and was confident of its approval which is a necessary step for any project exceeding Rs. 150 crores. The grant of Rs. 50 crores in the current budget and Rs. 25 crores in the last budget for the Murshidabad Centre of AMU will be utilised for the construction of the compound wall around its 280 acres sprawling campus and for constructing buildings for its management and law school to be equipped with all modern facilities.
The University has developed a vision plan to introduce all modern courses including Medical, Para-Medical and Engineering streams, Women’s College and Women’s Polytechnic. He said that by 2020 the Centre will be nurtured to become a fully autonomous institute with the potential to become a University.
The Vice Chancellor called upon the newly appointed faculty to emulate the example of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the great founder of the Aligarh Muslim University and with a great sense of dedication nurture the students to excel in life and to become extremely good citizen of this great nation.
Recalling the unstinted support the University was able to receive for the new educational initiative set in motion with the establishment of the two centres, he said that the initiative and support of Chief Minister of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was primarily instrumental in setting up the AMU Murshidabad Centre. Prof. Azis further observed that the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visionary move making an allocation of Rs. 50 crores in the current budget and his personal intervention at numerous critical junctures is responsible for the land transfer.
Welcoming the gathering, AMU Registrar, Prof. V.K. Abdul Jaleel said the University has already put in place a well-defined framework for converting the AMU Murshidabad Centre into an advance state-of-the-art academic institution of excellence. He felt that the newly enrolled students of MBA and BALLB courses and the newly appointed staff and other stakeholders will get ample opportunity to rejoice as partners in the progress of Murshidabad Centre.
While appreciating the dynamic leadership of Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis in nurturing the Centre with vision and missionary zeal, he said that the leading newspaper Malyalam Manorama recently in its editorial has acknowledged the initiative and the magnificent role Prof. Azis has played in establishing AMU Centre at Murshidabad and Malappuram.
Prof. Mohd. Gulrez, OSD Murshidabad Centre, while presenting a brief report praised the Vice Chancellor for establishing AMU Centre in one of the educationally most deprived regions of the country and informed the gathering that within a short period of 22 days the building, classrooms, office space and hostels for both boys and girls were renovated. He said that 60 students are admitted in MBA class and 13 in BALLB. He was hopeful that in the next academic session all the seats will be filled up. He further added that efforts were being made to convert classrooms into smart classrooms in near future.
The temporary AMU Centre building is suitably located with a secured boundary wall and a single entry gate to the building. He said that power backup facility is being made. The computer lab with Wi-Fi facility and seminar library will also become functional in a couple of days, he added.
Mr. Wiqar Ahmad Khan, Secretary, West Bengal AMU Old Boys Association urged the students to imbibe in them the glorious tradition of AMU of which every old boy is proud of. He said AMU is not only an institution to acquire education but also a cradle of golden upbringing and value based cultural ethos. He urged the students to make best use of their time in developing their personalities along with acquiring degrees.
Mr. Shiraz Ahmad, Assistant Professor, AMU Murshidabad Centre proposed a vote of thanks.
Finance Officer, Mrs. Yasmin Jalal Beg, Controller of Examinations, Prof. Pervez Mustajab, OSD (Development), Prof. Akhtar Haseeb, Media Advisor, Prof. N.A.K. Durrani, Chairman, Department of Business Administration, Prof. Khalid Azam and Chairman and Department of Law, Prof. Iqbal Ali were also present and interacted with the students and faculty members.
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