Jamia Millia Islamia appoints Mohammad Shakeel as officiating VC hours after HC's order

NEW DELHI: Jamia Millia Islamia on Wednesday appointed Mohammad Shakeel as its Officiating Vice Chancellor, hours after the Delhi High Court quashed the appointment of Eqbal Hussain and directed the varsity to make a fresh appointment within one week. The high court quashed the appointment of Hussain as the Pro-Vice Chancellor and subsequently as Officiating Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, holding that the appointments were not made in conformity with the relevant statute.

It directed to make a fresh appointment to the post of Officiating Vice Chancellor to ensure that the academic and administrative machinery of the university does not suffer or come to a complete halt. The court also asked the President of India to order initiation of the process of appointing a regular VC in the meantime.

Shakeel is the senior most professor with the Department of Civil Engineering in Jamia. He has assumed the charge of the Officiating VC till a regular Vice Chancellor of the university assumes office. Shakeel has obtained his BTech and MTech degrees from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and subsequently obtained his PhD degree from the University of Roorkee.

He had joined JMI as a Lecturer in November 1986 and he was subsequently promoted to the post of Reader and professor in the year 1992 and 2000 respectively. Shakeel has also served in various administrative positions such as Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Controller of Examinations, Director, Centre for Distance and Online Education, Head, Department of Civil Engineering, among others.

He has also been part of a number of important committees of the university. "I will do my best to safeguard the interest of the university at all levels," Shakeel said after assuming the charge as Officiating VC. After taking charge, he also appointed M Nasim Haider, Deputy Registrar-I as Officiating Registrar of the university with immediate effect till further orders.