I - Shahabuddin's Letter, 11 June, 1998

I thank you for your letter dated 4 June 1998. I appreciate that the gestation period is going to be long but the question I had raised relate to the very purpose and vision of the University. I am indeed familiar with the Act of 1996 which I consider to be inadequate. However, I was advised that much will depend upon the first Vice-Chancellor on how he shapes the Institution. That is why, I wrote to you.

The question I would like you to ponder over is whether the University can promote and develop Urdu language without establishing first rate degree and honours courses, at least in all major subjects and disciplines? This is why it is important that the University establishes three year degree courses in Arts. Sciences and Commerce, to begin with, and that it is authorised to affiliate Urdu medium degree colleges, else where in the country. The University may also consider setting up a national level Urdu Secondary and Higher Secondary School Examination Board to which Urdu medium School, may be affiliated & this provide feeders for the Urdu medium degree colleges. You would agree with me that the Urdu medium is not to be used only for vocational and technical education and that distance education is no substitute for a teaching campus.

II - Reply of the VC, 16 June, 1998

Thank you very much once again for taking keen interest in the affairs of this University during its crucial formative phase. I am sure you will greatly appreciate that I am bound by the Act of the University that has been handed over to me, and shall try, within the parameters available, to do maximum for the cause of Urdu and Urdu-speaking population of this country. However, the obvious difficulties must be realized and appreciated keeping in view the fact that it is a twin-university and all the text books that are going to be needed by the students shall either have to be prepared or translated from other languages largely English.

Given the circumstances, it is not an easy task and a long time is required to achieve any appreciable success and break-through. Let me assure you that we have no idea of minimising the importance of campus education where the teacher and taught, both in the classes and laboratories, are face to face with each other. Consequently, the level of transfer of knowledge is far greater then in the Distance Education Mode. But can one campus serve the needs of the entire Urdu-speaking population of this country? The answer would be - No.

I would like to assure you that one of the first courses that we intend to start will be the Graduate courses involving Arts, Science and Commerce, as material in Urdu from a sister-university is likely to be made available. There is certainly a proposal to set up an Open School but it would largely depend on the approval of the Government of India and the grants to be made available to the University for this purpose.

I can assure you that this University shall do everything that is possible to promote Urdu. But the promotion of Urdu should not be considered the exclusive responsibility of this University. I consider that the will of the people to study the language as also the desire of the students to come forward to study Science and Technology in Urdu medium is a pre-requisite. When this University is providing the possibilities of higher education, why can't other organisations indifferent parts of the country where the Urdu-speaking people are concentrated do something to provide the feeder-channels?

III - Shahabuddin's Response to VC, 20 June, 1998

Thank you for your letter of 16 June, 1998. I detect a basic dichotomy in our thinking. Is the University to serve the interest of Urdu or of the Urdu-speaking community? The interest of the Urdu-speaking community is not served by a parallel system of Urdu-medium education which has no organic linkage with the national economy, public or private employment or administration. Not even 100 Universities with multiple campuses can change the objective situation. But the University can encourage and promote the development of Urdu as a modern language and provide Urdu-medium university/vocational education to the small section of Urdu-speaking people, who have been schooled through Urdu-medium for the marginal openings that are and may be available.

.Just as the AMU, Aligarh, has no exclusive responsibility for the education of Muslim, so the MANUU has none for promotion of Urdu. But it has a critical role as the only Urdu-medium university in the country.

I agree with you that to take advantage of the facilities of the University, Urdu and Muslim organisations and institutions throughout the country should motivate students. That is why I am anxious that the University has the authority to affiliate Urdu-medium schools and colleges throughout the country.