Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College

Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College was founded in 1875. The college started as a primary school on Queen Victoria's birthday, 24 May 1875 known as Muhammedan Anglo Oriental Collegiate School.^[1][2] It was established as Madrasatul Uloom Musalmanan-e-Hind in 1875 and after two years it became Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College. The Anglo–Indian statesman Sir Syed Ahmad Khan founded the predecessor of AMU, the Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College, in 1875 having already established two schools. The movement of Muslim awakening associated with Syed Ahmad Khan and M.A.O. College came to be known as Aligarh Movement.^[3] He considered competence in English and "Western sciences" necessary skills for maintaining Muslims' political influence, especially in Northern India. Khan's image for the college was based on his visit to Oxford and Cambridge and he wanted to establish an education system similar to the British model.^[4]

Sir Syed nursed the institution at a time when English education was a tabo^[5] o.In 1878 intermediate and in 1881 B.A classes were started. In 1881, a civil service preparatory class was started for aspiring students. In 1887 it began to prepare students to enter the Engineering college at Roorkee.^[1]

In the beginning the college was affiliated with the University of Calcutta^[6] for the matriculation examination but became an affiliate of Allahabad University in 1885. In 1877 the school was raised to college level and Lord Lytton laid the foundation stone of the college building.^[7]

The college also published a magazine by its name.^[8]

Sir Syed said that their intention was to establish a university.^[9] It was the predecessor of Aligarh Muslim University.

History

On May 5, 1872, at a meeting of the Select Committee for the Advancement of Muslim Education, Sir Syed explained his concept of a Muslim educational institution. Donations were to be invited. A Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College Fund Committee was set up.^[7] A committee was formed by the name of foundation of Muslim College and asked people to fund generously. The then Viceroy and Governor General of India Sir Lord North Brook gave a donation of Rs 10000 and the Lt. Governor of the North Western Provinces contributed Rs 1000 and by March 1874 the fund for the college stood at Rs 153492 and 8 anas.^[3]

In the period 1882-1902, the M.A.O college produced only 220 Muslim graduate.^[10] The first graduate of the MAO College was a Hindu student.^[7]

Teaching started on 1 June 1875, with eleven students Henry George Impey Siddons, a Graduate of Oxford University was appointed as the first Head Master of the School.^[11] Sir Thomas Walker Arnold was appointed as the teacher of the college.^[12]

References

1. Hardy (1972-12-07). The Muslims of British India. CUP Archive. ISBN 9780521097833.
2. Cementing Ethics with Modernism: An Appraisal of Sir Sayyed Ahmed Khan's Writings. Gyan Publishing House. 2010-01-01. ISBN 9788121210478.
3. "Syed Ahmad Khan and Aligarh Movement". Jagranjosh.com. 2015-10-12. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
4. Encyclopedeia of Eminent Thinkers. Concept Publishing Company. 1998-01-01. ISBN 9788180695810.
5. Lal, Mohan (1992-01-01). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 9788126012213.
6. "Jurisdiction". www.caluniv.ac.in. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
7. "History of Aligarh Muslim University". Frontline. 2016-04-27. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
8. "The Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College magazine". archive.org. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
9. Ashraf, Ajaz. "Attorney General has got it all wrong about Aligarh Muslim University minority status: Ex-registrar". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
10. Brass, Paul R. (2005-01-01). Language, Religion and Politics in North India. iUniverse. ISBN 9780595343942.
11. "A Brief History". www.mintocircle.com. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
12. "Empire in Your Backyard: Imperial Plymouth". www.britishempire.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-05-05.