About Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), established in 1920, traces its origins to the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College founded in 1877 by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, a visionary who revolutionized modern education in India. AMU is one of India’s premier Central Universities, known for its intellectual legacy, cultural diversity, and commitment to academic excellence.
Spread across 467.6 hectares, AMU offers more than 300 academic programs across a wide spectrum of disciplines including sciences, humanities, engineering, medicine, social sciences, law, theology, and vocational studies. The University enrolls students from all states of India and over 40+ countries, particularly from West Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia. It is recognized for its strong emphasis on inclusivity, research, and global engagement.
AMU hosts several nationally and internationally acclaimed research centres, state-of-the-art laboratories, a vibrant residential system, and an academic environment that fosters innovation and cross-disciplinary learning. Its commitment to preserving heritage while embracing technological modernization makes AMU one of the most dynamic higher education institutions in India.
About Maulana Azad Library
Maulana Azad Library (ISO 9001:2015) is the central knowledge hub of AMU, renowned for its vast, diverse, and historically significant collections. The library houses approximately 1.4 million volumes, including rare manuscripts, research journals, databases, and special collections in Urdu, Persian, Arabic, and other languages.
Key highlights include:
- A Manuscript Division with over 16,117 rare manuscripts on religion, philosophy, history, and literature.
- A network of 110+ college and departmental libraries serving the academic and research needs of the university community.
- Migration of 600,000+ bibliographic records from proprietary software to Koha, marking a major achievement in FOSS adoption.
- Development and maintenance of three fully functional Institutional Repositories on DSpace. These repositories significantly enhance the global accessibility and preservation of AMU’s intellectual output and unique heritage collections.