Question

Aligarh Muslim University was founded by _____.
A. Jinnah
B. Syed Ahmed Khan
C. Abdul Kalam Azad
D. Bhutto

Answer 1

Hint: The Aligarh Muslim University was established in 1875 as the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College. In 1920, with the passing of the Aligarh Muslim University Act, the college was transformed into a university for higher and premier education.

Complete answer: The Aligarh Muslim University was established by Syed Ahmed Khan as MAO College which was the precedence for the set up for the AMU Act in 1920. The university has sought the status of a minority education institution for a long time now but has been refused so. Currently, the issue lies with a bench of seven judges in the Supreme Court.
Aligarh Muslim University has always had a politically charged environment. Up until 1939, the students in the university were supportive of India’s independence as a united nation. But after 1939 and the growing popularity of Jinnah, the political shift of the university sided with the idea of a separatist ideology. It was in support of the creation of Pakistan.
Looking at the option;
Option A- Mohammad Ali Jinnah was associated with AMU as a founding member of the University Court and for a generous donation for the establishment of the university. Moreover, his political positioning and ideology were supported by the university too. But he was not the founder of the university. Therefore, this is incorrect.
Option B- Syed Ahmed Khan was an Islamist pragmatist, scholar and philosopher who came up with the two-nation theory which gave basis to the formulation of Pakistan. He also established the MAO college which was later transformed to AMU. Therefore, this is the correct answer.
Option C- Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad had also donated funds for the establishment of the university but was not its founder. So this option is incorrect.
Option D- Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto were two of Pakistan’s former Prime Ministers and are not associated with AMU. So this is an incorrect option.
Thus, option (B) is the correct answer.

Note: For the women’s college in Aligarh Muslim University, Dr Sheikh Abdullah pioneered the establishment. It was finally established as a college in 1937 promoting education for women.