Tariq Mansoor resigns as AMU Vice-Chancellor after being nominated UP MLC

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor resigned from the post on Tuesday, a day after he was nominated as a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

Pro Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Gulrez will officiate as the Vice-Chancellor till Mansoor's successor is appointed, a notification issued by AMU Registrar Mohammad Imran said.

According to a notification issued by Chandrashekhar, Special Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh late on Monday night, Mansoor is among six people nominated by the Governor as MLCs against eight vacancies.

In an open letter to university students and staff on Monday, Mansoor said, "As I demit office, this is the last time I address you as the Vice-Chancellor. I had the opportunity of serving the institution for six years during good and challenging times." He thanked the AMU community for standing by him during this time, especially in facing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Having studied, taught, served and led the university for so many memorable years, I am filled with emotions which will forever remain an integral part of me," said Mansoor, who graduated in medicine from AMU and later joined Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College as a teacher.

"As the country enters the path of 'New India' and is poised to play a central role in world affairs, I am confident that AMU will continue to play a prominent role in the task of nation building," he said.

The resignation of Mansoor, 66, who hails from Aligarh, came weeks before his tenure was to end.

He assumed office as the Vice-Chancellor of AMU on May 17, 2017, for a period of five years. His term was to end in May 2022, but amid exceptional circumstances prevailing in the wake of the pandemic, the Centre extended his tenure by one year.

Senior AMU officials said the procedure for selecting the next vice-chancellor "has not even begun".

Mansoor's departure could mark a period of "uncertainty" since under normal circumstances, the incumbent vice-chancellor presides over the process of selecting his successor, they said.