AMU Has Efficient RadioIsotope Storage System, No Radiation Hazards Detected, All Within Permissible AERB Limits

ALIGARH July 11: The eight member committee appointed by Vice Chancellor, Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis submitted its report confirming that the much talked about radiation level of Radium Beryllium source stored for decades is within safe limits. The Committee also concluded that the laboratories, storage and disposal areas in the department conformed to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) guidelines and radiation level detected was within the permissible limits.

Meanwhile Mr. B.K. Singh, Scientific Officer, Radiological Safety Division, AERB, Mumbai who visited and inspected the radioactive source facility yesterday found that “Department of Physics, AMU, Aligarh is safe and secure from the radiological point of view”.

The Committee with the help of a technical expert Mr. Bilal Husain, Lecturer, Department of Radiotherapy using a highly sensitive Radiation Survey Meter WB88 Low Range (Pulsecho System) measured radiation levels at all locations in the Physics department and found environmentally safe limit everywhere including at UG Lab (0.02 mR/hr), Radioisotope storage room that contains storage pit (inside room: 0.04 mR/hr, near the storage drum: 0.56 mR/hr, above the storage pit 2.45 mR/hr and surrounding room: 0.02 mR/hr).

The Ra-Be source that caught the attention of media for over one week also recorded limits that do not warrant alarm (backside of the room, 0.06 Mr/hr, one side of the room 0.07 mR/hr, inside nearby storage room 0.56 mR/hr, entry side to the room 15 mR/hr (at one meter from the door), entry side of the room at about 3 meters 0.5 mR/hr. At entry door (at one meter) to the storage room, situated outside the building has shown slightly higher radiation level but within safe limit as there is no occupancy around. As an extra precautionary measure the committee suggested barbed wire fencing until the source is taken back by AERB as suggested by the University. The Vice Chancellor Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis has already contacted Mr. S.A. Husain, Radiation Safety Officer, AERB for safe disposal of the Be Re source and Mr. Husain has assured that he will safely take back the source within one month.

In Zoology Department the committee found that radioisotopes were used during nineties but at present it is not used and no radiation was detected beyond background radiation level. Similarly a low level radioactive isotope p32 was last used in the Biochemistry department in 2008 for research which was safely disposed of. The place shows no detectable level of radiation.

The Department of Applied Physics and Interdisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre were also using low intensity milli and micro level for research and teaching. The radioactive level measurements detected no radiation. The sources were found to be safely kept in lead containers and during usage the safety norms as prescribed by AERB were observed.

The Department of Radiotherapy is using Cobalt-60 and Iridium192 for treatment of malignancy in a fully secured environment. The department is authorized to use the material procured from AERB. Equipments are remotely controlled and uses all safety devices during and after applications. It also sends a six monthly department survey reports regularly to AERB.

The Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology is using I125 radioactive isotope for diagnostic purposes only. The material is handled, stored and disposed of in a fully secured and safe environment. The monitoring device indicated a safe level in and around the radioactive material usage, storage and disposal area.

The report was jointly presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Pervez Qamar Rizvi and Convener Prof. Akhtar Haseeb, Prof. V.K. Abdul Jaleel, Registrar, Ms. Yasmin Jalal, Finance Officer, Prof. Pervez Mustajab, Controller of Examination, Prof. Saud Alam Qasmi, Dean, Faculty of Theology, Prof. N.A.K. Durrani, Media Advisor, Dr. Rahat Abrar, PRO and several other functionaries of the University were also present on this occasion.

Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis while accepting the report urged all user departments to strictly follow all norms and guidelines provided by AERB in all matters relating to procurement, use, storage and disposal of radioactive material.

Prof. Mukhtaruddin Ahmad Arzoo: A noted scholar and former Dean, Faculty of Arts Passed Away

ALIGARH June 30: Prof. Mukhtaruddin Ahmad Arzoo, a noted scholar and former Dean, Faculty of Arts at the Aligarh Muslim University died here today. He was 86.

Born on November 14, 1924 at Patna, he did his D. Phil in 1958 from Oxford University under the able guidance of Prof. Hamilton A. R. Gibb.

Dr. Arzoo, appointed as lecturer in the Department of Arabic at AMU in 1953, became Reader in Islamic Studies and in 1968 he became Professor and Chairman in the Department of Arabic and Dean, Faculty of Arts in 1975.

Prof. Mukhtaruddin Arzoo was appointed as founding Vice Chancellor of Maulana Mazharul Haq Arabic and Persian University in Patna.

During his lifetime, Prof. Mukhtaruddin has received many honours and awards. He received the Certificate of Honour from President of India, Ghalib Award in 1983 and Sir Syed Lifetime Achievement Award from the AMU Alumni Association of New York, Tristate in 2007.

He was a widely travelled scholar and visited Germany, France, Egypt, Turkey, Syria. Lebanon and Iraq for educational purposes.

Aligarh Muslim University To Get Astroturf for Hockey

ALIGARH June 24: “Aligarh Muslim University will soon lay Astroturf at the cost of Rs. 3.5 Crore as Sports Authority of India has sanctioned the amount. This will help the University produce national and international level players of hockey once again, a hallmark of AMU, said AMU Vice Chancellor”, Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis. He was addressing the function to mark the inauguration of Tennis Clay Court and the renovated Roller Skating Rink.


While addressing the gathering Prof. Azis urged the students to scale new heights as University has mustered up all the infrastructure and facilities. “Resource crunch is no longer a problem and University needs a big leap”, Prof. Azis concluded.

Prof. Tariq Mansoor, Secretary, University Games Committee said that University has renovated Roller Skating Rink at the cost of Rupees Twelve Lakh and with this, it has become the largest roller skating rink among other Indian universities. Further, the University has 14 tennis courts including the newly laid out Clay Tennis Court.

He said that the UGC has sanctioned Rupees Fifty Lakh for Indoor Sports Complex which will be built soon.

Guests of Honour, Prof. M. Ashraf Malik, Principal, J. N. Medical College, AMU and Prof. Mohammad Jameel, Chairman, Infrastructure Projects, AMU also spoke on the occasion. A large number of faculty members and students were also present on the occasion.

4 Steps To Make AMU Rank No 1

A recent survey about the rankings of universities revealed the list of top institutes. Unfortunately AMU couldn't make it in the list. Where are we lacking and what can be done about it ? Can we make it to the No. 1 Spot. Yes of course, We are number-1 and we will be number-1. The only thing is to work more in some areas that are critical for ranking.

Publish your work
No doubt AMU produces a lot of academic and practical contributions in various fields.  There is lack of documentation and publication. Work hard to get your work published, because documentation matters.

Give Your Best
If every student and teacher pledges to give his best, it will be beneficial to all. Aim at All India level test. Don't let your capabilities sag because you are doing just enough to procure a rank in AMU test. Hit it harder and beat the All India tests.

Get Out Of The Cocoon
After your studies, try for other best employers for placement.  Have a desire to conquer the entire worlds best positions.

Lend A Helping Hand
If you are good at studies, help your juniors by teaching them for an hour or so. It will only strengthen your basics and they will gain a better understanding of the subject. You have nothing to loose.

Fake Admission Gang Busted; Carried Activities In All India Competetive Tests

Ranjeet Kumar of Kanpur was apprehended who later confessed to work for a Kanpur based coaching centre. HE stayed at a hotel in Aligarh under the fake identity of Vivekanand Chaubey. He possessed a rate list for admission to various prestigious educational institutions. Three cell phones, four sim cards, fake currency of one hundred rupees’ note, a PAN card, an ATM card, a cheque of Rs. 40,000, photographs of 14 youths, mark sheet and certificate of three students and a cash of more than one thousand rupees was found in his possession.
A ten member committee has been formed to ensure complete transparency in the admission processes in AMU Aligarh.  

Aligarh Muslim University Ties Up With University of North Carolina

In line with its recent initiatives to expand its global academic and research linkage the Aligarh Muslim University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA to establish collaborative relations between the two institutions to promote friendship and cooperate in a mutually beneficial association.

The two premier institutions have agreed to encourage mutually fruitful cooperation in disciplines that are studied in both the institutions.

The two institutions shall seek to promote exchange of information and material that were of mutual interest. The MoU also emphasized the exchange of academic, administrative, research staff and visits of scholars and students.

The agreement was signed between Prof. V. K. Abdul Jaleel, Registrar, on behalf of Aligarh Muslim University and the leader of the visiting team, Prof. Afroz N. Taj of Department of Asian Studies, University of North Carolina.

This agreement will remain in force initially for a period of five years. It especially aimed to establish the terms and conditions that facilitate the summer programme of North Carolina University during which their students could visit AMU.

Professor Akhtar Haseeb New OSD

Professor Akhtar Haseeb, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences has been appointed as Officer-on-Special Duty (Development) in place of Prof. Parvez Mustajab in addition to his own duties, till further orders with immediate effect.

The AMU Vice Chancellor has also appointed Prof. Anwaruddin Anwar, Department of Electrical Engineering as Member-in-Charge (Electricity) in place of Prof. Mohibullah in addition to his own duties, till further orders with immediate effect.