Members from AMU proctorial team resign as fee hike protests escalate

Following the protestors’ call for the removal of the Aligarh Muslim University’s Proctorial team, four members subsequently stepped down over reported mistreatment of protestors.

The resigned professors are Prof Syed Ali Nawaz Zaidi, Prof Mohammed Asif, Dr Anwar Ahmad, and Dr Imran Ahmad Usmani. Among them were two deputy proctors and two assistant proctors.

While no clear reason was cited in the official memorandum, the resignations were accepted by the Vice-Chancellor upon the individuals’ request, as recommended and forwarded by the Proctor, and were effective immediately.

The action appears to have been triggered by the ongoing student protest at AMU, which has been going on for more than a week. 

The protest was further intensified on August 14, after a student leader started an indefinite hunger strike at the Baab-e-Syed Gate.

The students have been calling for the rollback of the fee hike as to them it is unfair, sudden and unjustified.

The proctorial team had come under fire on August 4 when it allegedly mistreated the peaceful student protestors by forcibly removing them from the area of protest.

There had been multiple videos online which showed the team members shouting at the demonstrators to empty the road and take the protest elsewhere.

While the Vice-Chancellor Naima Khatoon ensured the investigation into the matter of alleged misconduct of the Proctorial staff, it did not subdue the criticism that followed after the Uttar Pradesh Police were allowed entry into the campus grounds based on the Proctorial team’s tip.

Not only were they manhandled by the police during the peaceful protest, but some students claim that the police were tipped off by the proctorial team themselves, as they state they were subjected to intimidation and physical force, and harassment by the proctorial team.

Meanwhile, the Academic Council meeting held on August 14 revealed that, during a video conference, the council unanimously approved a set of recommendations aimed at addressing student concerns regarding the recent fee hike. Among the key decisions was a cap ensuring that any increase in the fee for continuing students may not exceed 20 percent over the rates charged in the previous academic session.

A provision for fee concessions or instalment facilities for students from economically weaker backgrounds was also recommended by the council, which would be managed by the Students’ Welfare Section.

One of the hallmark demands from the student protestors was the reinstatement of the Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union, for which the Vice-Chancellor assured the elections would be held at a suitable time. 

The council also encouraged AMU to explore alternative revenue streams, including alumni contributions, sponsored research projects, and utilising campus infrastructure for hosting national-level examinations on weekends.