By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: Even over a decade after its establishment, Maulana Mazharul Haque Arabic & Persian University (MMHAPU)is not only awaiting a permanent address to function from but in fact struggling for survival due to government apathy and bureaucratic discrimination. The main goal of the university named after great freedom fighter Maulana Mazharul Haque was to promote Arabic and Persian language in the state and to provide higher education to the Muslims especially those who come from Madarsa background. This Muslim identity became eye-sore for ill-minded people in the government which did not let the university to develop.
It is evident with the fact that in 1998 then Rabri Devi-led Bihar government of RJD decided to establish 6 universities in the state for promotion of higher education under the provisions of the Bihar State Universities Act 1976 with effect from 10 April 1998. Mazharul Haque University was among them while five other universities were Veer Kunwar Singh University, Ara, Jaiprakash University, Chapra, Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University, Madhepura, Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University, Siddhu Kanhu University, Dumka (presently in Jharkhand).
Barring Mazharul Haque University, all the universities are today among top universities of the state. They have big campus, several buildings and colleges, hundreds of staffs. They receive budget of several crores annually and all kinds of assistance from the government. Thus they are on the way of fast progress.
Mission of the University
The university was established with special task to set higher standards in Arabic and Persian study and also to ensure access and inclusion of all in the institutions of higher education especially to the minorities, women and other deprived sections of the society.
Dire condition of Mazharul Haque University
But when it comes to Mazharul Haque University, not to talk about its progress it is deprived of basic need. It remained non-functional since its establishment till 2007. Leave alone colleges, it does not have its own building to function till today. There are half a dozen staffs at the university. It is given meager amount to run that too not at time. Even the University does not have permanent Vice Chancellor. Prof. Shamsuzzuha, HOD of Arabic, Patna University, was appointed VC temporarily 10 month ago. But neither was he made permanent nor anyone else was appointed for the job. Imagine, in these circumstances, how can it progress?
“Yes, the University would have been in much dismal condition than it is today but it is functioning, classes are being run regularly and examinations are being conducted timely only because of the sincerity of the staffs who are working with the university.
Despite consistent negligence, the University is running professional courses through its centres in different places of the state. The university asked the state government to give Rs. 2 crore for current fiscal year (which was very less amount for a university) but the government granted only Rs. 55 lakh,” said a highly-placed official of the University on the condition of anonymity.
VC Prof. Shamsuzzuha
No building yet
After much demand from the community about 8 years after its establishment, in 2006 the university was allowed to start work at a government bungalow at Baily Road in the state capital city of Patna. That was too opposed by BJP which argued that the University did not require a government building as it had no students and teachers since its inception. But it was yet to open its counter for admissions due to fund crunch and lack of a campus.
Addressing the University’s foundation day function in December 2009 at its campus, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that his Government was searching for an adequate place for the University where its magnificent campus will be built. He promised that the University will be given full support by the state government and will be provided with all the essentials.
One can see news in newspapers that soon ‘government is going to provide money to buy land for the University’s building’, ‘government has allocated fund: Foundation stone will be laid soon’ and ‘government is going to approve several posts at the university’ but no development was seen on the ground so far.
Notably, the government bungalow where the University’s headquarter is situated currently, was allotted for an International museum. The university recently received notice to vacate it without providing it any alternate place.
“We have received several notices to vacate this bungalow. We asked government to provide the university with its own building or at least any alternate place. The government said to find out any private building with the monthly rent of Rs. 15000. We are yet to find any place” said an official of the university.
He said whenever the University administration talked to the concerned minister and officials about the issues of the University including providing building, increase in staff and fund they always say government was considering it seriously and ‘soon’ will take decision. “But when this ‘soon’ will end, we do not know” he added.
Non-functional for years
Interestingly, Mazharul Haque University has been one of the issues on which political parties have been asking Muslims’ votes before every election. Whenever election came the political parties made big promises at public meetings as well as in the manifestos for all-round development of the University. But when they came to power, they omitted the issue of the university from the mind and agenda. Yes, they remember it again when they find chance to address the Muslim gathering.
View of the tin-roofed building of the University
Though the university was officially established in 1998, it remained on paper only and failed to find any place to start a single class till 2007.
Moved by the non-functional state of the University, seven West and Central Asian countries– Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia and Tajikistan– had shown interest in its turnaround in May 2007. They offered help to enrich the faculty and library of the university. Some of them had even offered to set up language laboratories that could help train translators of different languages who are in great demand in Asian, American and European countries.
The offer brought new hope to the varsity, but the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government did not show any interest in cooperation with these countries for progress of the university. Consequently, nothing happened.
Three VCs complete terms without any academic session
The Bihar government appointed five Vice Chancellors of the University since its inception. The first three VCs namely Dr. M. Ahmad Arzoo, HOD of Arabic, Aligarh Muslim University (1998), Dr. Sharf Alam, HOD of Persian, Patna University (2004) and Mr. V.S. Dubey Ex- Chief Secretary of Bihar and Jharkhand completed their tenures without seeing any academic activities at the University.
January 25, 2008 was golden day in the history of the University when Prof. Qamar Ahsan was appointed Vice Chancellor. He took steps to bring the university on the ground and made the University functional in a purposeful manner within the shortest possible time. Under his leadership the University started its first academic session on July 3, 2008.
Despite lack of staffs, he made all efforts to start vocational and professional courses. He hired well-known professionals and experts to teach the University’s students. As the University did not have buildings for the classes, he came out with the idea of Knowledge Resource Centres (KRCs) at different places of the state. KRC means the University runs courses with the help of other educational institutes in different places and conducts examination under the supervision of the University. This idea provided chance for many Muslim students to do professional courses at the University on affordable fees. Currently, there are 74 KRCs in the state including headquarters of the University. About four thousand students are pursuing different courses at the University.
In his tenure, the University was recognized under 2(f) of the UGC Act 1956 and became a member of Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi with effect from December 2009.
It was dynamic personality of Prof. Qamar Ahsan, who recommended to the state government for the clearance to the University for conducting the Alim and Fazil exam (equivalent to BA and MA) ,which earlier used to be conducted by Madrasa Education Board, so that students can become a qualified degree holder approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The government accepted the recommendation which made easy way for Madarsa students for their job prospects and further academic pursuits.
Currently, 10 thousand students are enrolled in Alim and Fazil courses at the University from 116 Madarsas which are registered with the University.
BCA students in the classroom
Ouster of Prof. Qamar Ahsan
In spite of outstanding performance during his short period of job, Prof. Qamar Ahsan was not given another chance to carry out his progressive march. Was government or were bureaucrats afraid that if Prof. Qamar remained at the University, he will bring it in the line of big universities of the country? This was a question at the centre of discussion among the minority community.
Ironically, Prof. Shamsuzzuha who assumed the charge of the Vice Chancellor of the University on 25.01.2011 is yet to get nod for permanent VC. Consequently, his power is limited and cannot do more for the progress of the University even if he wants.
Courses
The University is running over a dozen degree, diploma and certificate courses. They include Master in Business Administration (MBA), Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Journalism & Mass Communication (BJMC), Diploma in Functional Arabic, Diploma in Functional Persian and Diploma in Manuscriptology.
The prospectus of the University has a note with every course that in admission the preference will be given to those who come from Madarsa background.
Library
The need of the hour
The Muslim political leaders especially those in the government should take the issue of the University with the Chief Minister and concerned officials. The leaders attached with different Muslim organizations should also put pressure on the government to end the discrimination with the University. Under pressure of administration, the University officials may vacate the present bungalow but where to go they do not know. It is feared the University once again will become a university on paper. Therefore, if pressure is not made on the government, no one can save this dying University.
Link:
http://mmhapu.bih.nic.in/