Najma Akhtar
15th Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia
In office
12 April 2019 – 12 November 2023
ChancellorNajma Heptulla Mufaddal Saifuddin
Preceded byProf. Talat Ahmad
Personal details
Born1953 (age 70–71)
NationalityIndian
Alma materAligarh Muslim University
Kurukshetra University
AwardsPadma Shri

Najma Akhtar (born 1953) is an Indian academic and academic administrator. Since 12 April 2019, she has been the Vice Chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia, an Indian university and served their till 12 November 2023.[1] She is also the first woman to hold the post in JMI. [2]

Education

Akhtar was born in 1953.[3] She studied at Aligarh Muslim University, where she was a gold medalist and earned a National Science Talent Scholarship.[4] She has a PhD in Education from Kurukshetra University.[2][3][5] She received a Commonwealth Fellowship to study University administration at the University of Warwick in the UK[5] and also trained at the International Institute of Educational Planning at Paris (France).

Career

Akhtar worked for fifteen years at the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, leading courses for senior officials from 130 countries.[4] She established the first state-level management institute at Allahabad and was the Controller of Examination and Director of Academic Programs at Aligarh Muslim University.[4] She has been a consultant to UNESCO, UNICEF and DANIDA.[4][6]

In April 2019, the Ministry of Human Resource Development received approval from the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, to appoint Akhtar as vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia for a five year term or till attaining the age of 70 whichever is earlier and served their till 12 November 2023.[2][6] Akhtar has been an advocate for gender equity[4] and is known for leading teams of diverse cultural backgrounds.[3][7] She said her goal is to establish a medical college at Jamia during her tenure.[8] Of her appointment as the first female vice chancellor in the university's 99 year history, she said, "My aim was not to break the glass ceiling but I was definitely against the glass ceiling. Why is it even there, if you hold the same educational qualifications and experience?”[8]

In 2022, Akhtar was awarded with Padma Shri by the Government of India.[9] On 19 January 2023, she was conferred with the honorary rank of Colonel and appointed “Colonel Commandant” of the University.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Jamia Millia: Eqbal Hussain named Acting V-C as Najma Akhtar retires". www.punjabnewsexpress.com. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  2. 1 2 3 Amandeep Shukla (12 April 2019). "Professor Najma Akhtar appointed Jamia Millia's first woman vice-chancellor". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "Who is Najma Akhtar, Jamia's first woman V-C?". Okhla Times. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Jamia gets its first woman vice-chancellor". The New Indian Express. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Academician Najma Akhtar Appointed First Woman Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia". News18.com. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  6. 1 2 Kunju, Shihabudeen (11 April 2019). "Jamia Gets Its First Woman Vice-Chancellor". NDTV. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  7. ↑ "Prof. Najma Akhtar appointed as first lady VC of Jamia Millia Islamia". The Indian Awaaz. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  8. 1 2 "amia Millia's first woman VC Najma Akhtar didn't aim to break glass ceiling but was against its very existence". Hindustan Timesdate=13 April 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "Jamia's First Female VC Najma Akhtar Selected for Padma Shri". News18. 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  10. ↑ "JMI Vice Chancellor Prof. Najma Akhtar conferred Honorary Colonel rank in NCC" (PDF). jmi.ac.in. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
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