Najma Akhtar held the command of the Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia University this Thursday. Akhtar is the first woman to hold the VC’s post in any of the central universities. She is the founder-director of State Institute of Educational Management and Training, Uttar Pradesh. She is also a former Professor of National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA).
Mrs. Najma, while addressing the media talked about how Jamia can grow further and the the main focus of the administration should be the students and not the earnings. Najma elaborated ” New courses will happen, all departments will have to think over it. There is a hierarchy on the campus and that will be followed. Deans, HoDs and AC will be taken along to chart the new courses in the University. We will see what is lacking and what needs to be updated. How we can modernise and change some courses. There are some departments that are running outdated courses.”
Akhtar, who is a gold medalist from Aligarh Muslim University, has specialised in institution building, educational administration and management, decentralisation, distance education and education of minorities.
While speaking on the appointment as the first woman VC, Najma stated “My aim was not to break the glass ceiling, but I was definitely against the glass ceiling. There were no ready-made role models as administrators. Whenever people are calling me now, I tell them please keep on applying wherever you want to be, it will happen. Women in general believe their chances of selection might be less as their are more men around.”
Total of 3 Vcs are appointed in the central varsities of Jamia Millia Islamia, Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidhyalaya and Motihari Central University.