Najma Akhtar

Najma Akhtar (born 1953) is an Indian academic and academic administrator. She served as the Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia from 12 April 2019 until 12 November 2023. She is also the first woman to hold the post in JMI. In 2022, she was awarded with Padma Shri by the Government of India. She studied at Aligarh Muslim University, where she was a gold medalist and earned a National Science Talent Scholarship. She received a Commonwealth Fellowship to study University administration at the University of Warwick in the UK and also trained at the International Institute of Educational Planning at Paris (France). She established the first state-level management institute at Allahabad and was the Controller of Examination and Director of Academic Programs at Aligarh Muslim University. Muslim Rashtriya Manch recommended her name for the position. Akhtar has been an advocate for gender equity She said her goal is to establish a medical college at Jamia during her tenure. Of her appointment as the first female vice chancellor in the university's 99-year history, she said, "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?"

Honours In 2022, Akhtar was awarded with Padma Shri by the Government of India. On 19 January 2023, she was conferred with the honorary rank of Colonel and appointed "Colonel Commandant" of Jamia Millia Islamia.