Endgendersegregation at AMU, suggests audit
REORIENTATION Discretionary admission quotas should end, says report NEW DELHI
: The Aligarh Muslim Universitymustabolishseparate colleges for male and female undergraduatestudents,doaway with discretionary admission quotas and merge the departmentsforSunniandShiastudies, agovernment-backedauditofthe institution has suggested.
These are among the top recommendationstheauditmadeto help move the 142-year-old universityawayfromits“pastfeudal cultureandpresentobscurantist attitude”,andensureitsstudents “broaden their mental horizon” and climb the social ladder with “blinkers off”.
The institution, better known asAMU,isamong10universities being audited for their academics, research, finance and infrastructure.TheUniversityGrants Commissionsetupfivepanelsfor this on April 25.
No official reason was given for the audit, although some of these universities have been in thenewsforstudentprotestsand allegationsofnepotismandautocratic administrations. TheAllahabad University and Pondicherry University are among them.
In the case of AMU, a universityknownforitsorthodoxMuslimcultureandsegregationofthe sexes, it’s more about a need for wider reforms, the audit suggested.
“Thereisaneedtoreorientthe educationalpatternandsyllabiin averyconsciouswaytakinginto account the need and backgroundof the students,” said the audit report, which was submittedtothehumanresourcedevelopment ministry earlier this month.
In a section titled “University Culture”, the audit said the institution should encourage vocational courses not only to enhancestudents’employability butbecauseit will facilitate their upward social mobility and “broaden their mental horizon” sothattheycan“contributemore Aligarh Muslim University was founded in 1875.
Abolish segregation of sexes in courses
Do away with VC’s admissions quota; make other quota categories merit-based
Appoint VCs through search-cum-selection panel, not election Hike fees
Use standard national-level entrance tests for admissions
Merge departments; amalgamate three off-campus centres with nearest universities