This was the second meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jamia Millia Islamia’s vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar in two years. Source: Jamia Millia Islamia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his willingness to attend the convocation of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, vice-chancellor of the central university, Najma Akhtar, said after meeting Modi at his residence recently.
Modi was expected to attend the convocation of Jamia Millia Islamia’s centenary year earlier but he could not attend the ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the varsity stated in a press communique on February 4.
During the meeting with Akhtar, Modi asked her to work towards the upliftment of Muslim women through education. Akhtar is the first woman vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, and she recently won the Padma Shri award for her contribution in education.
This was the second meeting between the two in the last two years, the university said in a statement.
The Prime Minister also asked Akhtar to work for the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the curriculum of Jamia Millia Islamia.
The NEP aims at making higher education more utility-based to prepare students for the industry. The policy aims to ensure what is being taught translates to applicable skills. Multiple changes are to be implemented in higher education in the coming years in the process of implementing provisions of the NEP.
"The Prime Minister asked the vice-chancellor to work more for the educational upliftment of Muslim women and work for effective implementation of the NEP. The vice-chancellor assured the Prime Minister that she will work hard to meet his expectations to bring about the desired transformation of the nation," said the statement.
Modi also extended his support for setting up a medical college at Jamia Millia University and hoped that the medical college would be started during the tenure of Akhtar, the varsity said in its statement.
Modi had supported the idea of setting up a medical college at Jamia Millia even during his last meeting with Akhtar.
Akhtar briefed the Prime Minister about the NAAC accreditation process and the parameters considered for grading. She also presented him with the annual report of the university during the meeting.