New Delhi: The Aligarh Muslim University
will start Special Centres in West Bengal and Kerala in the
coming academic session after President Pratibha Patil
recently approved the projects in her capacity as Visitor.
"Decks have been cleared to set up University centres in
Murshidabad (WB) and Malappuram (Kerala) after the President
gave her approval on May 5. The state governments are in the
process of transferring the lands to the university," AMU Vice
Chancellor Prof P K Abdul Azis told reporters here.
The Central Government, the Ministry of Human Resource
Development and UGC have approved setting up of a total of
five centres as part of its efforts to promote education among
Muslim community. Three others are being mooted in Bihar
(Kishanganj), Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Azis said the initiative has been taken keeping in view
the suggestion of the Sachar and Fatmi committees to
educationally uplift the community.
"The two centres, which will have residential campuses,
will offer MBA and BA LLB programmes to 60 students each. The
total cost estimated to be incurred for their establishment is
around Rs 500 crore," he said.
The Centre has already allocated Rs 25 crore for each of
the centres and MHRD has released Rs 35 crore for land
development, Azis said.
He said the University is also aiming to provide school
education and a committee has been formed to look into the
possibility of amending the AMU Act for the purpose.
"Right now there is a clause in the Act that restricts
the University from establishing schools beyond a radius of 15
kms. However, it can establish special centres anywhere with
the approval of the President," Azis said.
PTI
