Aerial View of Aligarh Muslim University with the music of Syed Ali Bhai.

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) occupies a unique position amongst universities and institutions of higher learning in the country. It was established in 1920 and evolved out of the Mohammedan AngloOriental (MAO ) which was set up on 7 January 1877 by the great visionary and social reformer, Sir Syed Ahmad khan. From its very inception, it has kept its door open to the members of all communities and from all corners of the country and the world. The Aligarh Muslim University s the realization of a vision which was broad, farreaching and realistic

Spread over 467.6 hectares in the city of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Aligarh Muslim University offers more than 300 courses in the traditional and modern branches of education. It draws students from all states in India and from different countries, especially Africa, West Asia and Southeast Asia. In some courses, seats are reserved for students from SAARC and Commonwealth Countries. The University is open to all irrespective of caste, creed, religion or gender. It ranks 8th among the top 20 research universities in India.

In spite of the establishment of a number of universities and institutions of higher learning all over the country, this University has been maintaining its national and international character as an institution of excellence. It has more than 37327, students, 1,686 teachers and some 5,610 nonteaching staff on its rolls. The University now has 13 faculties comprising 117 teaching departments, 3 academies and 21 centres and institutes. A special feature of the University is its residential character with most of the staff and students residing on the campus. There are 19 halls of residence for students with 80 hostels.

On 24 May 1875, Sir Syed founded the Madarsatul Uloom in Aligarh and patterned the MAO after Oxford and Cambridge universities that he went on a trip to London. His objective was to build a University in line with the British education system but without compromising its Islamic values.

The University has opened three new centres of study outside Aligarh at Murshidabad, West Bengal state, at Mallapurum, Kerala state and at Kishanganj, Bihar State.

The University maintains one primary, seven High schools (including one for the Visually Challenged), and two Senior Secondary schools for boys and girls. The University also offers courses in Indian, Oriental and Western Languages. The medium of instruction in the University is primarily English.

Games and sports have been a distinctive feature of the AMU. The Skating and Riding teams have excelled at the interUniversity level. Perhaps this is the only University with a Riding Club.

The General Education centre is the nucleus of most of the extracurricular activities and caters to the cultural environment. This centre organizes these activities through its various clubs viz., the AMU Literary Club, the Hindustani and western Club, the Literary Club and the Hobbies Workshop etc.

It is proudly Islamic and proudly Indian institution: a living symbol of the composite culture of India and a bulwark of its secular principles.