Who is Naima Khatoon, first woman Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University in 100 years?

The central government has appointed Naima Khatoon as the Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), making her the first woman to hold the top post in over 100 years. The appointment was approved by President Droupadi Murmu and the Election Commission of India (ECI) because of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) being in place. 

"Naima Khatoon, Principal, Women's College, has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of AMU for a period of five years. The ECI has stated that the commission has no objection from the MCC angle to the proposal related to the appointment of the AMU VC subject to the condition that no political mileage be derived from it," a senior official said.

Who is Naima Khatoon?

1) After completing her doctorate in psychology from AMU, Khatoon joined the same department in 1988 as a lecturer and was promoted to professor in 2006. She continued there before being appointed as the principal of the Women's College in 2014.

2) She was a lecturer at the National University of Rwanda in Central Africa for an academic year. Additionally, she has held many administrative positions at AMU, including provost in both Abdullah Hall and Indira Gandhi Hall, deputy proctor, and director of the Residential Coaching Academy.

3) Naima Khatoon also has a PhD degree in Political Psychology. Her PhD research was done at AMU and the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in Delhi. She has given presentations on her study at the Hollings Center in Boston, USA, the University of Alba Iulia (Romania), Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok), and the University of Louisville (USA).

4) Being a writer and researcher, Khatoon has also published numerous articles in national and international publications. She has written, co-written, and edited six books. Clinical, health, applied social, and spiritual psychology are her areas of specialisation.

5) For her overall performance, Naima Khatoon received the Papa Mian Padma Bhushan Best Girl Award.

(With inputs from agencies)