AU ?forgets? its foundation day

ALLAHABAD UNIVERSITY (AU) officials 'forgot' varsity's foundation day which fell on Saturday. Not only the university authorities failed to organise a function or an event to mark the day but even failed to acknowledge the occasion through a message for the students, employees and the alumni.

ALLAHABAD UNIVERSITY (AU) officials 'forgot' varsity's foundation day which fell on Saturday. Not only the university authorities failed to organise a function or an event to mark the day but even failed to acknowledge the occasion through a message for the students, employees and the alumni.

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It is to be recalled that on September 23, 1887 Act XVIII was passed which established Allahabad University. Like the Universities of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras, the University of Allahabad also started as a degree conferring institution and is the fourth oldest university of India after Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.

The credit for conceiving a large Central College at Allahabad, eventually to develop into a University, is credited to Sir William Muir, then Lt. Governor of United Provinces. As a result of his initiative, the foundation stone of the Muir Central College (named after him) was laid on December 9, 1873 by Lord Northbrook. The "silent Saturday" surprised many as the varsity had celebrated completion of one year as a Central varsity with a grand function on July 14, 2006 that was graced by the UGC Chairman and which had led to hopes that the 120th foundation day of AU would be celebrated with a similar function.

On being contacted, AU PRO and CPIO Prof Amrendra Singh said, "A Central University has to be very selective in organising functions centrally. Dussehra holidays too was a reason for no function being organised."