By TCN News,
Malappuram: The regional centres of the Aligarh Muslim University in Malappuram and Murshidabad will be independent universities by 2020 when the AMU will celebrate its centenary, said Vice-Chancellor Dr PK Abdul Azeez. He was speaking to media persons after the commencement of the first batch of the AMU Malappuram centre at Perinthalmanna yesterday.
Kerala Education Minister MA Baby, AMU VC Dr PK Abdul Azeez, AMU Registrar VK Abdul Jaleel, Perinthalmanna MLA V Sasikumar, AMU Malappuram centre special officer Prof HAS Yahya and the AMU Malappuram centre Director Dr P Muhammed were present among other dignitaries at the function of commencement of the first batch. The function was held at the temporary centre of the AMU at the Al Hasmi Tower in Perinthalmanna, where the classes of MBA and BA LLB were commenced by Prof Javed Akhthar and Prof Muhammed Shabir, the respective faculty deans of the two disciplines.
Mr MA Baby said that it was a historic moment for the state and thanked the people of Chelamala who gave land for the centre and the officers who worked on the land acquisition. VC Dr Abdul Azeez said that the Aligarh Movement founded by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan has now spread to Kerala also. MLA V Sasikumar opined that the allegations that the centre won’t be realized and that it was only for Muslims were no more now. He requested the University to see if reservation would be available for the native people in admission to courses and employment at the centre.
Dr PK Abdul Azeez told media persons that the Malappuram centre of the AMU would be an educational hub by 2017 with more than 11,000 students. B.Tech courses will begin in 2012 and Medical College by 2017. About 13 courses such as biomedical, paramedical, pharmacy, unani and tourism management will also begin by 2017. There are also plans for opening short-term paramedical courses. The AMU is planning to open special college and polytechnic for women as part of the Malappuram centre next year itself, which will be helpful to solve the backwardness of women. The centre will also begin courses for married women.
The VC expressed his hope that the classes could be transferred to the Malappuram centre’s own building in July. The official function of laying the foundation stone of the building will be in June, in which central ministers will attend. The future of the campus will be decided on its functioning of five years. Since the university has no special attachment or detachment to any politics, the centre will function purely on academic basis.
The AMU has submitted a master plan of Rs 1192 crores for the Malappuram centre before the central government. (The central government has allotted Rs 50 crores for the AMU Malappuram centre in its present financial budget.) The VC extolled the support and cooperation of the state government in the realization of the centre.