AMU - A dream came true

As I have been a resident student of this university for six years, I am in a better position to comment on this university than those who have/had their friends studying at AMU. Like most AMU students, I had that ambition to be a part of this institution since my childhood. At this moment, I would like to mention that I am a second generation ’’ALIG’’ . ’’ALIG’’ is the term given to one who has studied in Aligarh Muslim University. Since my father completed his engineering education from AMU, I used to hear a lot about the university and its traditions.

Coming to the highlights of university, I would list them as:
* Most Inexpensive Education Provider
* Variety of courses of study
* Vast campus
* Good Academic Infrastructure
* State-of-the-art Hostel Facilities
* A residential university of more than 15000 students
* Students from all economic and religious sections of the country
* Self-volunteered cultural grooming

AMU students have won great laurels in the past and are continuing to do this even at the international levels. The quality of education has been declining for quite a long time. The ratio of exceptional performing students to the total number has seen a decline, too. There have been a number of instances when AMU was in news for poor administration and disturbance.

Looking at the number of students and especially the resident ones, one can easily make out that how difficult it could be to manage a large student community as this. One main reason behind the inefficient control and improper functioning is lack of zeal and commitment in the staff. Like many government colleges and universities, complacency has crept in here, as well. AMU is facing the shortage of personalities who served it with a great sense of duty and responsibility.

With increasing numbers of students, the self-volunteered and self-advocated discipline among the students has suffered a loss, too. Nevertheless, the role of media in getting a bad name to AMU can’t be denied. Hungry for sensational news, the newspapers and TV channels fill the space with news about disturbances in AMU but seldom do they cover the achievements of AMU students and alumni.

Even after all these hurdles, AMU is managing to come back on the right track. The academic environment is improving, day by day. The students of AMU are performing well in external competitive examinations, as well.

Apart from the education, the cultural grooming helps the students become the best they can be. There are literary and cultural societies in every hostel and they organise annual extra-curricular events. There are clubs like Drama Club, Music Club and Film club and they keep organising plays, music concerts and film festivals round the year.

In sports, AMU Cricket team, Skating team, Swimming team and Hockey Team does really well in regional and zonal events. AMU can boast of having one of the oldest Horse-riding clubs, functioning even to this date. It has a sports complex which has green tennis courts, a hockey ground, an athletics ground, a football ground, a cricket stadium, a gymnasium, a skating ring and an indoor swimming pool.

The Alumni Network of AMU can be termed as one of the largest in the world. There is a great sense of belonging between them and they come forward to help ’’Aligs’’ wherever they come across one. One important thing which is lacking in AMU is official Student-Alumni interaction. Once this can be ensured, things can definitely be made better and better.

To sum up, i would say that AMU is an institution which creates a permanent place in the hearts of all its students. Wherever they go, the feeling of being an Alig goes with them. The ultimate testimony is that most of them carry this ’’Alig’’ tag with great pride and honour. What else can speak better for an educational institution.