For quality higher education in Urdu

Level playing field: A view of Maulana Azad National Urdu University at Gachibowli in Hyderabad.

The Hyderabad-based Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) is a reflection of a vision, perspective and an aspiration. The institution, which is a result of the efforts to revive the glory of Urdu language has a clear inclusive development agenda, says K. R. Iqbal, Vice-Chancellor of the university.

The university was established in 1998 with countrywide mandate to promote Urdu language and provide higher and technical education in the medium, with special emphasis on women’s education.

“Unlike a conventional university, we were given a mandate to develop education in Urdu medium at all levels, from primary to post-doctoral, and in all streams, technical, vocational, arts and sciences,” he said.

The challenge is not much there in developing courses in Urdu medium, but in making them relevant to the present day market and society, he states.

“For example, we have started polytechnic courses at Hyderabad, Bangalore and Darbhanga. We have designed their curricula in such a way that students get training not only in their subjects concerned, but also in soft skills, fundamentals of IT, English and Arabic languages,” elaborates Prof. Iqbal.

Emphasis on ‘relevance’ could be seen in syllabi of other courses too. Students of all MA programmes have to study IT and English throughout their programmes.

The strategy of the university is to make the modern Urdu-medium education popular by incorporating the employability component into it. According to the Vice-Chancellor, this policy also helped the university form an inclusive development agenda.

“We get students from some of the poorest pockets of India. Here, they can receive modern education with scholarships and will get jobs,” he states.

The university offers master programmes in Urdu, Persian, Arabic, English, Hindi, Women’s Studies, Mass Communication and Journalism, Social Work, Education, Business Administration, Translation Studies and Public Administration. M.Phil. and Ph.D programmes are available in Urdu, English, Hindi, Public Administration, Women Education and Social Inclusion and Exclusion Policy and Urdu, English, Hindi, Public Administration, Women’s Studies and Education respectively. MANUU has introduced BBM this academic year. It also offers B.Ed., ITI, polytechnic diplomas. Through distance mode, it offers B.A., B.Sc., B.Com, B.Ed, M.A. in Urdu, Hindi, History, English and diploma and certificate programmes.

Admission for most of the courses is based on entrance test. Last date for applications is July 10. For details,visit ‘ www.manuu.ac.in’.

MANNU is the best centre for higher learning for students from Urdu medium, according to S.A. Wahab, the Registrar. “Our MBA, MCJ, M.Ed., B.Ed. and ITI students have been securing good placements. The traditional MA and research programmes have their won job avenues, which would be taken care of the departments,” he says. According to him, quality Urdu medium education and emphasis on English and IT skills are strengths of the university. MANUU provides education at a nominal cost.

The total fee for most of the MA programmes is around Rs. 3,000 and highest fee is Rs. 14,700 for MBA programme. It offers monthly scholarships of Rs. 1,000, Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 5,000 for all students of post-graduation, M.Phil., Ph.D programmes respectively.

K.VIJAYA BHASKARA REDDY,
IN HYDERABAD

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