Allahabad High Court Confirms Prof. Naima Khatoon as AMU Vice Chancellor

The court's decision comes after a period of contention following Khatoon’s appointment in April 2024. Concerns were raised over her husband, Mohammed Gulrez, heading the selection committee as acting Vice Chancellor

The Allahabad High Court has upheld the appointment of Professor Naima Khatoon as the first woman Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), marking a significant moment in the institution's 100-year history. The ruling, announced on May 17, 2025, dismisses challenges to her selection process, paving the way for greater gender representation in Indian academic leadership.

The court's decision comes after a period of contention following Khatoon’s appointment in April 2024. Concerns were raised over her husband, Mohammed Gulrez, heading the selection committee as acting Vice Chancellor. However, the division bench of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Donadi Ramesh emphasized Khatoon’s merit and qualifications, noting that the final discretion lay with the President of India, the university’s ‘visitor,’ and no allegations of mala fide were substantiated. AMU, established as a center for Muslim education, has a storied past, with its faculty and students notably supporting Muhammad Ali Jinnah during the Pakistan Movement pre-1947, as per historical records on Wikipedia.

Khatoon, an AMU alumna with a PhD in psychology, has been a part of the university since joining as a lecturer in 1988. She also served as the principal of AMU’s Women’s College since 2016, an institution founded in 1906 by Sheikh Abdullah ("Papa Mian") to advance women’s education. Her appointment ends a gap in leadership at AMU, which had been without a full-time Vice Chancellor since April 2023, following the tenure of Tariq Mansoor, according to a Hindustan Times report.

Speaking on her vision, Khatoon emphasized a focus on research and educational development, a sentiment echoed by AMU spokesperson Professor Asim Siddiqui in a statement to The Hindu. The ruling aligns with broader efforts to bridge gender disparities in Indian academia, where women hold only 25% of leadership positions, as per a 2023 UGC report. AMU’s status as an institution of national importance under the Indian Constitution’s seventh schedule further underscores the significance of this appointment for higher education governance in India.

The AMU community has largely welcomed the decision, with many seeing it as a progressive step. A post on X by the university’s official handle (@AMUofficialPRO) celebrated the ruling, noting its reaffirmation of democratic values and the institution’s commitment to justice and progress. As Khatoon takes the helm, her leadership is expected to inspire confidence and drive AMU toward new heights in academic excellence.

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