Didn't aim to break glass ceiling but was against its very existence, says Jamia's first woman VC

Professor Najma Akhtar, the first woman Vice Chancellor in Jamia Millia Islamia's 99-year-old history, says her aim was not to break the glass ceiling but she was against its very existence.

Akhtar, who feels a woman brings a different perspective to administration, says her dream is to establish a medical college at Jamia during her tenure apart from working towards modernizing outdated courses, generate funds for the varsity and have international collaborations.

Understanding what the students want will be one of the key focus area of Akhtar, who was earlier associated with the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA).

She assumed charge of the varsity on Friday, a day after the HRD Ministry announced her appointment following a green signal from the Election Commission as the Model Code of Conduct is in place.

As soon as her car entered the varsity campus, she was greeted with cries of 'VC zindabad'.

"My aim was not to break the glass ceiling but I was definitely against the glass ceiling. Why is it even there, if you hold the same educational qualifications and experience?" she said.

In general women believe that they won't be chosen because there are so many men in the fray, Akhtar said.

"Personally, you need a different point of view coming from a woman to run a university. We are not factories, we are dealing with young students.

"There is no role model for a woman to be an administrator. If you come forward, you will handle it differently and many will definitely follow it later," she said.

When asked about the things she has in mind for the varsity, she said, "I will be talking to the girls as well as male students and find out what is hurting them. I cannot come up with a prescription. Everything that I end up doing will be based on what is needed here."