VC and Registrar, JMI, hold an extensive day-long dialogue with elected office bearers of Subject Associations of all Departments and Centres of the University
In a major proactive move towards ensuring democratic and participatory governance, Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Prof. Mazhar Asif, and Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, Registrar of JMI hosted a marathon meeting with the office bearers of subject associations, namely, the Vice-president, General Secretary and Joint Secretary, from all university departments and centres. The Subject Association, which is a crucial feature of every department and centre, is constituted every year and comprises office bearers who are elected in accordance with the duly established procedure of JMI. The subject associations, therefore, play a crucial role in laying the groundwork for a highly democratic system ensuring representation of each and every student enrolled in various courses by participation in elections that are conducted by their respective departments and centres every year.
The session lasting over six hours was aimed at providing the students with a forum for freely expressing their concerns, suggesting creative solutions, sharing constructive ideas and working out a collaborative roadmap for the growth of the university. The meeting was facilitated by the Dean, Students’ Welfare Prof. Neelofer Afzal, who welcomed the office bearers and invited them to exchange their ideas, encouraging them to see this as an opportunity to engage directly with the university’s leadership.
Registrar JMI, Prof. Rizvi, highlighted the significance of the academic and literary activities held during the Talimi Mela. He also foregrounded the importance of the Subject Association as an elected body that plays a seminal role in communicating students’ interests and issues.
VC JMI, Prof. Mazhar Asif had a one-to-one interaction with all the representatives from various departments and centres.
Student leaders from all departments, centres and faculties attended the meeting, and all the representatives were provided with adequate time to voice their thoughts. Creative and smart suggestions for facilitating increased industry-academia connect, stronger placement initiatives and institutionalisation of student exchange programmes were received from students.
The university administration listened to all grievances, suggestions and requests with undivided attention and empathetic understanding and took notes on all the issues that were brought to their notice. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mazhar Asif, while responding to the issues, stated that the solutions to the concerns raised could be classified as short-term and long-term and will be dealt with accordingly. Short-term issues will be resolved immediately, while others requiring long-term planning will be addressed with the availability of funds, Prof. Asif said. He also apprised the audience that designated nodal officers for all important aspects, such as the SWAYAM courses, the Indian Knowledge System, NEP 2020 implementation and internships, had been appointed who were diligently working towards resolving all the issues. Prof. Asif further added that smooth running of JMI was a collective responsibility of the administration and the students alike, and both needed to be invested in its holistic growth, as he encouraged the students to contribute meaningfully towards it.
The meeting was attended by Deans of faculties, Heads of departments, Directors of centres, Provosts of hostels and important university functionaries who directly interacted with students and fielded their queries. Among those present were Dean, Academic Affairs, Prof. Tanuja; the offg. Controller of Examination, Prof. Ahteshamul Haque; and the University Librarian, Dr Vikas Sitaramji Nagrale.
To conclude, Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, Registrar, JMI, assured the participants that an attempt will be made to hold meetings such as this more frequently to keep the channels of communication between the administration and students strong, enabling and deliberative in nature.
