On Establishment of 5 Campuses of the AMU
Letter to the Vice Chancellor of AMU, June 29, 200
Regarding the proposed establishment of Special Centres of the AMU at 5 places outside Aligarh (item 8 of the agenda of the annual meeting of the court on 22.06.09), I have gone through all the Annexures. As I mentioned in the Court I find that the project is being described differently by various authorities involved.

In my view the Chief Secretary of Kerala, Mr. T.J. Thomas, has appreciated the crux of the problem in his letter of 21.11.07. From his point of view, the proposal requires amendment of the Act. I agree with his view. I find that section 12 (2) can be interpreted to covers institutions established in the campus, apart from Faculties and Departments, for purpose of research or instruction but it does not lift the bar on the establishment of additional campuses or branches of the University outside Aligarh. Section 29 (m) mentions various bodies of the University which are almost entirely related to the functioning of the AMU as a University.

I had asked you in one of my letters for a copy of the comprehensive proposal made by the Uuniversity to the Ministry of Human Resource Development. I have not yet received your reply. But I find that the Ministry in its letter of 10.07.08 referred to your DO letter No.2-21-EP/DS/7167 dated 1 July, 2008. I would be grateful if you kindly send me a copy.
I would also reiterate my suggestion that the AMU should decide once-for-all, whether it can establish new campuses or Special Centres outside the present campus. I was surprised to not note that in para 25 of your Annual Report presented at the 59th Annual Convocation on 07.06.2009 you have mentioned this question in your own words as follows :

The university would like to replicate the AMU Model in all its Centres. The Aligarh model consisting of Schools, Medical and Engineering Colleges, Schools for Law and Management and Departments of Advanced Study for Languages, Social Sciences and other disciplines will be established in all these centres. The centres will be governed by the Court and the Executive Council of the University.

There is increasing need & demand for higher education for the Muslim Community. This should be met both by the central & state Governments by establishing universities or colleges in Muslim concentration areas or by the initiative of the Muslim community to establish minority colleges or universities. I see no reason why AMU should spread out with branches and campuses all over the country and run them through its Court and Executive Council and the VC as the ex-officio head. Such an arrangement will not be academically productive or administratively viable. Every state / region has its own characterlatics and they must be allowed to develop their own Universities. The AMU can always be called upon to render consultancy service but centralize action shall create problems as well as dilute the standard of the AMU.

If the Government is serious about extending facilities for higher education for the Muslim Community, some of the proposed central universities may be established in Katihar, Murshidabad & Malappuram. As I mentioned in the Court, Bhopal & Pune do not qualify for the Muslim angle. Alternatively the central government may advise the state governments to establish universities in Muslim concentration areas by legislation or by appointing the local Muslim community to go ahead to establish such institutions.

I was informed that the Central Government has already sanctioned more than Rs.1000 crores for this project and even advanced a substantial amount to the AMU for the purpose.