The renaissance of Urdu

A LOT OF STUDENTS ARE TAKING UP COURSES IN URDU LANGUAGE FOR THE BEAUTY AND POWER IT. NIKITA GOUD REPORTS in The Times of India (Education Times) Hyderabad Edition, 15th September 2008

Despite the growing popularity of western languages in our country, Urdu, the lingua franca of India, has retained its charm. More and more organisations and universities are working towards the progress of Urdu as a language and Urdu literature. Its beauty has appealed even to the westerners who are now taking to the language. "Urdu is not a language that ends in India or Pakistan.With its rich culture and beauty it has crossed borders.We have research scholars coming from all over the world to do their advanced research in Urdu literature," says Syed Rafiuddin Quadri, Incharge secretary, Aiwan-e-Urdu, Hyderabad.

There are several universities and organisations in Hyderabad that offer courses in Urdu. One such organisation is 'Idara-e-adabiyat-e-Urdu' with over 218 centres in Andhra Pradesh alone.They conduct classes and examinations at different levels.This organisation was started with an aim to promote Urdu literature. Alongside coaching centers, they also have libraries housing a huge collection of books and offer museum facilities.

Though there has been a tremendous drop in the number of students enrolling for these courses, each year, the Urdu experts predict a positive change in the near future, as several youngsters, today, are opting to learn the language. "I always wanted to learn a new language and the obvious choices seemed to be French, Spanish or German. It was after I watched the movie 'Jodha Akbar' that I decided to take up Urdu for its beauty and power. It did seem a little unconventional, but, so great was its appeal that I couldn't help but decide against all other options," says Sameer, a software professional, who is now doing a course for beginners in Urdu.

With Urdu dominating the Bollywood film and music industry, there are several opportunities for Urdu scholars with a flair for poetry and writing, to make it big in the industry. "There is always a dearth of talent in our ever growing film industry. Most of our students who take up Urdu seriously, do so with an aim of getting into the industry as script writers, dialogue writers and lyricists," says Syed Moin Uddin Ahmed, a retired Urdu professor. The options do not end there.With the increasing popularity of Urdu in India and abroad, there are several job opportunities for proficient Urdu scholars in the teaching stream. "Many of our students have touched great heights.They make a great living out of teaching Urdu in Western countries and in India," adds Syed Rafiuddin Quadri, Incharge Secretary, Aiwan-e-Urdu.

There are also, other organisations like Siyasat, which have come up with various programs to teach Urdu.They offer courses in spoken Urdu as well and encourage people from all backgrounds and cultures to be a part of these programs. Urdu, they believe, is not a language of the Muslims or of people belonging to any particular religion or region, but, a language of the common man that took birth in India during the Muslim reign and considered a symbol of fraternity.

For the purists, who don't just believe in the progress of Urdu as a language but also in Urdu as a medium of Education, there are universities like the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Gachibowli. They offer BA, BCom, BSc, polytechnic, BEd, MEd and DEd courses.They also conduct UPSC civil services APPSC group I and II examinations. Anyone who has qualified the 'fazil' examination or its equivalent from a recognised university is eligible to apply for the bachelors program. Students who complete any of these courses successfully are eligible to apply for several central and state government jobs in the police force, military, civil services, education department etc.

However, experts complain that the importance being given to English language has discouraged many youngsters from choosing Urdu as their medium of education. When asked about the measures to be taken to conserve Urdu, Prof Qutub Khan says, "Hyderabad, being the city of Nawabs, has always had a rich Urdu influence. It is our privilege and duty as Hyderabadis to retain the popularity of Urdu and to work towards the progress of its rich literature."

MANUUTA Constitution

Maulana Azad National Urdu University Teachers’ Association
(MANUUTA)
[CLICK HERE FOR MS WORD VERSION]
CONSTITUTION
(As approved and adopted by a General Body Meeting of the teachers of Maulana Azad National Urdu University as amended latest by 13th January 2009)

Article I. NAME
The Association shall be known as the Maulana Azad National Urdu University Teachers’ Association (here in after referred to as the Association). It will be a registered Society under the Societies Registration Act.

Article II: OFFICE:
The headquarter of the association shall be situated at the MANUU campus, at Gachibowli, Hyderabad – 32.

Article III. MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership of the Association shall be open to all teachers of the Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) appointed by the University, at the Headquarter, at constituent Regional Centres and Colleges of the University all over the country. .
2. The Librarians, Deputy Librarians and Assistant Librarians may become associate members of the Association on payment of the membership fee to be prescribed by the General Body from time to time. The associate members shall not have the right to vote.
3. Every teacher or member of the Library staff mentioned in Article III, Clause 2, intending to be a member of the Association shall apply for the same in the prescribed form; and on payment of the prescribed membership fee to be laid down by the General Body from time to time shall be enrolled as a member of the Association.
4. No person shall continue as a member or hold any office of the Association after he/she ceases to be an employee of the University by means of retirement or resignation.

Article IV - OBJECTIVES
1. The objectives of the Association shall be:
a) To promote democratic functioning of the University specially in terms of teachers' participation in decision-making processes;
b) to promote studies and discussion on academic matters;
c) to advocate, secure, maintain and safeguard the rights and liberties of teachers and to help the teachers to fulfil their academic obligations;
d) to take necessary steps to improve the conditions of service of the teachers of the University;
e) to suggest, initiate and work for suitable legislation affecting educational policy with special reference to rights and responsibilities of teachers;
f) to organise and administer and/or help in the administration of social security for teachers;
g) to promote social harmony amongst the teachers of the University and to organize recreational activities for their benefits;
h) To promote healthy relationship between teachers and students and between University administration and the teaching community.
i) to promote harmonious relations and cooperation between the teachers of the University and other sections of the University Community
j) to promote Urdu language and its rich heritage and culture.
k) to promote the objectives for which the University has been established.

Article V. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS
1. The Association shall be competent to delegate any or all of its powers excepting the power to dispose of real property to any authority or body working under the Constitution.
2. The Association, through its appropriate authority shall have the power, inter alias:
(a) to hold, own, or dispose of real and movable property in trust or otherwise received or acquired for the prosecution of the objects above named, or any of them;
(b) to accept donations, in money or in kind, in trust or otherwise, for the objects above named, or any of them, provided that no donation which is expressly intended to promote any sectional activity shall be accepted;
(c) to initiate and/or co-operate in any enterprise pertaining to the advancement of the objectives of the Association, which in the opinion of the Executive Committee of the Association, appears appropriate and advisable;
(d) to review, approve, and sanction any changes in the Constitution, subject to such procedure as may be provided for in that behalf by the Constitution or the Rules under the Constitution as may become necessary from time to time.

Article VI. THE STRUCTURE OF THE ASSOCIATION
1. The General Body of the Association consisting of all its members shall be the supreme authority of the Association.
2. Under the General Body of the Association, there shall be an Executive Committee (as mentioned in Article VIII) and the following Office Bearers of the Association:
(a) One President
(b) One Vice-President
(c) One General-Secretary
(d) One Treasurer.
(e) Joint Secretary (Organising)
(f) Joint Secretary (Publicity)

Article VII. GENERAL BODY
1. The General Body may meet as and when necessary, but shall meet at least once a semester including an Annual General Body Meeting. The agenda of the General Body meeting, except the annual meeting, shall be approved by the Executive Committee and shall be circulated by the General Secretary at least 7 days in advance.
2. The Annual General Body meeting will be on a date to be fixed by the Executive Committee and shall have on its agenda the consideration of the following as approved by the Executive Committee:
a) the annual report of the Association prepared by the General Secretary;
b) the financial report of the Association prepared by the treasurer along with an audit report; and
c) the budget for the next year.
3. The Executive Committee may convene a special meeting of the General Body whenever it thinks fit after giving three days notice.
4. The Executive Committee shall convene a meeting of the General Body upon a requisition in writing signed by not less than one-fourth of the members of the Association within ten days of the receipt of notice for such a requisition.

Article VIII. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the office bearers mentioned in Article VI and members elected from each Department, Directorate, and Academic Centre. Departments, Directorates and Academic Centres having ten or less than ten members shall have one member elected to the Executive Committee from that particular Department, Directorate and Academic Centre. Those Departments, Directorates and Academic Centres having more than ten members shall have not exceeding five members elected to the Executive Committee from that particular Department, Directorates and Academic Centres, by means of one for every ten members.
2. A meeting of the Executive Committee will be convened by the General Secretary, with the concurrence of the President as and when necessary. A requisitioned meeting of the Executive Committee shall, however, be convened by the President within five days of the receipt of a requisition in writing signed by not less than one third of the members of the Executive Committee.

Article XI. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE BEARERS OF THE ASSOCIATION
1. The day-to-day work of the Association shall be entrusted to the Office Bearers, accountable to the Executive Committee. Subject to the Constitution, and the directives of the General Body, the Office Bearers shall:
a) formulate the policy of the Association and to take steps to carry it out;
b) make rules regulating the financial administration of the Association;
c) make arrangements for any conference of MANUU teachers that may be convened by the Association;
d) issue bulletins or other publications bearing on the well-being and interests of teachers;
e) take practical steps towards the carrying out of the various aims and objects of the Association specified in the Constitution;
f) accept donations from any public authority, private body, or individual to promote the aims and objects of the Association.
g) prescribe the annual subscription fee from time to time.
2. The President shall preside over the meetings of the General Body and the Executive Committee.
3. The Vice-President shall assist the President in the discharge of his duties and shoulder such other responsibilities as the Executive Committee may assign. The Vice President shall preside over the meetings in the absence of the President.
4. The General Secretary shall convene meetings of the General Body and the Executive Committee with the concurrence of the President; shall keep minutes of those meetings; and shall prepare the annual report of the Association. He/she shall also be the authorised signatory of the Association’s bank transactions along with the Treasurer. The General Secretary shall be the ex-officio chief executive of the association and shall be entitled to receive correspondence from the Maulana Azad National Urdu University or any other person or persons. Correspondence with the General Secretary shall be deemed as the correspondence with the Maulana Azad National Urdu University Teachers’ Association.
5. The Joint Secretary (Organising) shall organise and implement the programmes approved by the Executive Committee and shoulder such other responsibilities as may be assigned by the Executive Committee.
6. The Joint Secretary (Publicity) shall be responsible to give wide publicity of the programmes of the Association and represent the Association in media, or any place asked by the Executive Committee.
7. The Treasurer shall prepare the annual financial report and the budget of the Association and shoulder such other responsibilities as the Executive Committee may assign. The Treasurer shall be the authorised signatory of the Association’s bank transactions along with the General Secretary.

Article X. ELECTION AND TENURE
1. The office bearers of the Association and other members of the Executive Committee will be elected by secret ballot and single transferable vote in the month of August under rules framed for this purpose by the Executive Committee and approved by the General Body; and they shall hold office for one year with effect from the date of announcement of election results.
2. An office bearer of the Association shall be eligible for re-election for the same office for not more than two consecutive terms.
3. The election shall be conducted by a three-member Election Committee appointed by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will nominate one among the three members as the Chief of the Committee.
4. The Election Commission shall be appointed at least three weeks before the elections. The Election Commission shall stand dissolved automatically with the declaration of election results.

Article XI. VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE
1. A vote of no-confidence against an office bearer of the Association may be moved in a requisitioned meeting convened under Article VII, Clause 4.
2. A vote of no-confidence can be passed only by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting in the General Body meeting mentioned in Article XI, Clause 1; provided that the number of members so voting is not less than 50% of the total members of the Association.

Article XII. VACANCIES
1. Any casual vacancy caused in any of the offices mentioned above, including membership of the Executive Committee, shall be filled by the Executive Committee for the remainder of the term of office, except that its choice of President, General Secretary and Treasurer shall be subject to confirmation by a special General Body meeting called specifically for this purpose within one month from the date of the appointment.
2. If any person in any of the offices mentioned above does not attend meetings of the Executive Committee without sufficient cause for three consecutive meetings, he shall be deemed to have vacated his seat, without prejudice to his being re-eligible for the same office.

Article XIII. REVISION OF THE CONSTITUTION
1. Changes in the Constitution may be made at a specially requisitioned meeting of the General Body. Change in the Constitution shall be proposed either by the Executive Committee or by a group of not less than one-fourth of the members of the Association, signifying in writing their desire to do so.
2. Not less than fifteen days notice shall be given for the consideration of any such proposed change in the Constitution.
3. Changes in the Constitution can be made only by a two-thirds majority of the members present at the meeting provided that the latter is not less than a majority of the membership of the Association.

Article XIV. QUORUM
Quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee and the General Body shall be one-third of the number of members of the said body at the time of the meeting.

Article XV. YEAR
The year shall be from 1st August to 31st July OR commencing after the declaration of the MANUUTA election results, for a period of one year.

Article XVI.
The Association is formed with the main purpose of promoting democratic functioning of the University and teachers’ participation in the decision-making process. The person nominated by the Executive Committee of the Association shall take part in any of the decision making bodies of the university and decision taken by such representative shall be deemed as giving consent or giving concurrence to any decision taken by the University and by the Maulana Azad National Urdu University Teachers’ Association, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee of MANUUTA and ratification of GBM of MANUUTA. Further the Association shall function in harmony with the University.