Naima Khatoon has been appointed as the first woman to hold the position of Vice Chancellor at Aligarh Muslim University in 100 years, following the approval from President Draupadi Murmu. As the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was in effect, the Election Commission of India (ECI) was also consulted.
Naima holds a history with AMU as she has completed a PhD in psychology at a similar institution. In 1988, she started working at AMU as a psychology department lecturer. She has significantly improved the academic environment at the university throughout the years, and in 2006 she was promoted to the rank of a professor. Naima's appointment as the Women's College principal in 2014 demonstrated her dedication to AMU's academic goals.
AMU was established in 1875 as the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, and in 1920 it was granted university status by the Aligarh Muslim University Act. Before Naima's appointment, AMU had never had a female vice-chancellor despite its great history. This feat has been achieved in a century which paves the way towards diversity and gender inclusion in the university's leadership. In 1920, just one woman had held the position of chancellor at AMU, Begum Sultan Jahan. Naima's appointment adds a new chapter to AMU's history demonstrating the university's dedication to embrace progressive developments and overcoming barriers as it approaches its centennial year in September 2020.
