Allahabad high court

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is a public university, funded by the central government of India and is among the oldest central universities in India. It was established by Syed Ahmad Khan as Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College. The Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College became Aligarh Muslim University in 1920.^[2] The main campus of AMU is located in the city of Aligarh. Spread over 467.6 hectares in the city of Aligarh, AMU offers more than 300 courses in the traditional and modern branches of education. The University has consistently ranked among the best educational institutions in India. According to Times Higher Education, Asia Ranking 2014, AMU ranks 3rd among Universities in India.^[3] The university comprises all castes, creeds, religions and genders.

A measure of controversy occurred in late 2014 when the university’s vice-chancellor Zameerud-din Shah turned down a demand by female students to be allowed to use the Maulana Azad Library, which was male-only. Shah claimed that the issue was not one of discipline, but of space as if girls were allowed in the library there would be “four times more boys,” putting a strain on the library’s capacity.^[13][14][15]Although there was a separate library for the university’s Women’s College, it was not as well-stocked as the Maulana Azad Library.^[13] National human resource and development minister Smriti Irani decried Shah’s defense as “an insult to daughters.”^[14]

Responding to a petition filed by a Human Rights Law Network intern, the Allahabad High Court ruled in November 2014 that the university’s ban on female students from using the main library was unconstitutional, and that accommodations must be made to facilitate student use regardless of gender.^[15][16] The High Court gave the university until November 24, 2014 to comply.^[16]

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