Sibal to open AMU Centre in Kerala today

MALAPPURAM: Union Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal was scheduled to dedicate the Malappuram Special Centre of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) at Chelamala campus near Perinthalmanna on Saturday.Union Minister of State for Human Resources E Ahamed, who also represents Malappuram in parliament, will be the guest of honour at the function to be held at 10.30am at Sir Syed Nagar.The line up of dignitaries include Minister for Industries PK Kunhalikutty, Minister for Electricity Aryadan Mohammed, Minister for Tourism AP Anil Kumar, ET Mohammed Basheer, MP, MI Shanawas, MP, Manjalamkuzhi Ali, MLA and former education minister MA Baby. “Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will deliver the presidential address. Minister for Education PK Abdu Rabb will welcome the gathering. AMU Vice-Chancellor PK Abdul Azis will present a report,” said AMU Malappuram Centre Director P. Mohammed at a press conference here. At present, classes of MBA and BA LLB programmes are being held at a rented building in Perinthalmanna town.Central government had allocated Rs750 million for the campus in the initial phase. The pre-fabricated construction has cost Rs130 million.The constructions include an administrative block, two academic blocks, five hostel blocks, and 20-odd staff quarters.Apart from two academic blocks and an administrative building, eight hostels are being constructed on the campus at Chelamala.“The classes would be shifted to the new campus by March 2012,” AMU court member Syed Basheer Ali Shihab Thangal, who was also present at the press conference, said.Classes are currently being held in a rented building in Perinthalmanna town. According to authorities, future plans for the Centre include setting up a women’s college and a women’s polytechnic in the initial phase. AMU is planning to set up an engineering college, a polytechnic college, a medical college, an arts college, a science college, a hospitality management college, a pharmacy college, a law college, a Unani college, a nursing college and a management institute in the second phase.