HRD Ministry and UGC Clash, AMU Vice- Chancellor Position Jeopardised
AMU asked to decide vice- chancellor according to UGC regulations.
University Grant Commission has lost the support of the HRD Ministry after saying that AMU i.e Aligarh Muslim University is a central university, not a minority institution. By saying this, UGC means that from now onwards, AMU will be bound by the rules and regulations set by the Central University.
HRD Ministry had earlier filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court that AMU would have to follow the minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers and academic staff as per the rules of the Central University.
UGC had told the Supreme Court that all central universities irrespective of whether state government or universities have earlier adopted or not, will now have to follow the regulations by the UGC as they were the force of law and compulsory for all.
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Whereas, according to the affidavit filed by the HRD ministry, new rules and regulations formed by the UGC were to be adopted formally by every state governments and central universities.
Though, when the Ministry and UGC responded to a petition regarding cancellation of appointment of Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah as the vice- chancellor of AMU, the differences between the two parties could be witnessed.
The appointment of Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah as the vice- chancellor was opposed by an AMU alumni saying that AMU was not following the rules and regulations mentioned by the UGC while choosing the vice chancellor as Shah did not have 10 years of experience as a professor in a university or on an equivalent post in a research or academic institute.
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In March, an affidavit was filed by the UGC, according to which, the rules and regulations by the UGC were binding on central universities as it was the force of law.
With this, the chances of appointment of Shah as the vice- chancellor got decreased as AMU was being considered as a central university. The Ministry did not commented on the same matter. Though it was pointed out that AMU had maintained suspense while disclosing the name of the vice- chancellor in 2012.