Anupriya Singh | Ground Scoop
Professor Mazhar Asif, a renowned academic from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI). He succeeds Professor Najma Akhtar, who became the first woman to hold the position in 2019. President Droupadi Murmu, in her capacity as the university’s Visitor, has approved his appointment for a period of five years.
Mazhar Asif’s Academic Background
Mazhar Asif holds a Master of Arts (MA) and a Ph.D. from JNU. His areas of expertise include Sufism and the medieval history of India. He has been teaching at the postgraduate level for over 20 years and has published more than 25 articles, nine books in Persian-English and Assamese, and has presented over 20 research papers in national and international conferences.
Past Controversies Surrounding Mazhar Asif
Despite his impressive academic credentials, Professor Mazhar Asif has faced significant controversy in the past.
In January 2020, a group of JNU students accused Professor Asif of being involved in violent attacks on students during the infamous 4th January incident at JNU. Some students claimed that Asif was previously a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and had allegedly led an attack on students. His presence on the inquiry committee formed after the violence was also questioned.
Another serious accusation against Professor Asif involved caste-based harassment. Reena, an employee belonging to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, accused him of discrimination while he was Associate Dean at JNU’s School of Languages. She alleged that Asif deliberately gave her low performance grades, blocked her promotions, and favored junior candidates over her.
Reena took her case to the Delhi High Court and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, which led to an independent review. The review found that Reena’s grades, which were originally lowered to 5.5, were later corrected to 8.66, confirming her claims of unjust treatment.
