Mohammad Ali Jauhar University To Be Demolished Will Affect Over 3000 Students’ Lives
A sweeping demolition order against Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, has plunged one of western Uttar Pradesh’s most prominent minority educational institution, Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, into its gravest crisis since its founding. The University, founded by jailed Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan, faces a major controversy.
On July 15-16, 2026, the Rampur Development Authority (RDA) ordered the demolition of 38 out of 40 buildings on the campus. With 38 of the university’s 40 buildings ordered to be demolished, the future of more than 3,000 students, hundreds of faculty and staff, and nearly two decades of educational investment now hangs in the balance.
The order, issued by Rampur District Magistrate and RDA Vice-Chairperson Ajay Kumar Dwivedi under Section 27 of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973, leaves only two buildings standing: the medical college and the main academic block, both of which officials say possess valid building approvals.
According to the RDA, the remaining 38 buildings were constructed without sanctioned building plans from the competent authority and therefore violate planning regulations.
The RDA cited violations under the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973: most structures were built without approved building plans. Only the medical college and one academic block had approvals. The university argued that much of the construction predated the area’s inclusion under RDA jurisdiction (September 2024) and that older rules applied, but the authority rejected this after hearings. The trust received a 15-day notice to demolish voluntarily, or authorities would act.
This has sparked a political row in Uttar Pradesh.
Mohammad Ali Jauhar University has strongly challenged the decision. Its management argues that when much of the campus was built, the Singankhera area did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Rampur Development Authority, making RDA approval unnecessary at the time. It further contends that authorities cannot retrospectively declare completed buildings illegal because of subsequent jurisdictional changes.
The RDA rejected those arguments, maintaining that approval from the competent authority was legally required regardless of which authority exercised jurisdiction at the time. Officials also pointed out that the trust had successfully obtained approval for two campus buildings, arguing this demonstrated that it understood the legal process but failed to obtain permission for the remaining structures.
The demolition order has immediately become one of the country’s most politically charged educational controversies.
The Uttar Pradesh government has defended the action as a straightforward application of the rule of law. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said unauthorized construction cannot be exempt from legal scrutiny. Minority Welfare Minister Danish Azad Ansari alleged that portions of the university were constructed by encroaching on government land, public roads, and Waqf property, claiming official investigations had uncovered serious irregularities.
Founded in 2006 by the Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust and named after freedom fighter Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, the university emerged as one of the largest private minority institutions in the Rohilkhand region. It offers programmes in engineering, medicine, law, agriculture, sciences, humanities, and management, serving thousands of students, many from economically weaker and minority communities.
The present crisis did not emerge overnight. In 2023, the Uttar Pradesh government cancelled the university’s land lease, arguing that land allotted for a research institute had instead been used to establish a full-fledged university. That decision was upheld by the Allahabad High Court and later survived a challenge before the Supreme Court, leaving the institution legally vulnerable. The latest demolition order represents the most dramatic escalation in that prolonged dispute.
As the deadline for demolition approaches, concern has spread far beyond Rampur.
A public open letter written by Shakeba Umar, a concerned citizen, has appealed to the President of India, the Prime Minister, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, the Chief Minister, the Ministry of Education, the University Grants Commission, and other constitutional authorities to intervene before irreversible damage is done. The letter does not seek to excuse any proven legal violations. Instead, it urges authorities to find a lawful solution that preserves an institution serving thousands of students and proposes exploring, if legally feasible, the possibility of developing the university into a Central University for the Rohilkhand region through the appropriate constitutional and parliamentary process.
The appeal argues that educational institutions represent investments not merely in buildings but in generations of students. It warns that while accountability for regulatory violations is essential, the destruction of an entire university campus could inflict lasting damage on higher education, local employment, research infrastructure, and regional development.
At the heart of this controversy lies a larger question that extends beyond one university or one political leader.
Governments have an unquestionable duty to enforce planning laws and ensure that every institution complies with legal requirements. Yet when enforcement involves dismantling almost an entire functioning university, it inevitably raises difficult questions about proportionality, public interest, and the human cost of regulatory action. The greatest burden is likely to fall not on politicians or administrators, but on students whose education and future now stand in uncertainty.
Reactions from Key Parties: Samajwadi Party (SP, primary opposition and linked to the university):
SP strongly condemned the move as “unjustified” and politically motivated “vendetta” or “selective targeting” against Azam Khan and the institution.
Spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand accused the BJP government of pursuing a “policy of demolition instead of development,” claiming it targets educational institutions and shows fear of education. He said SP would focus on development if returned to power. timesofindia.indiatimes.com
National spokesperson Juhie Singh highlighted the university’s role in providing affordable education (with fee reimbursements for many students) and called for similar scrutiny of institutions run by BJP leaders/MLAs/MPs. She described it as a “targeted campaign” against Azam Khan. indianexpress.com
Local SP leaders, like Asim Raja, announced plans to challenge the order legally and argued many old government buildings lack approvals.
Congress accused the BJP of selective bulldozer action against opposition leaders and educational institutions. Spokesperson Sachin Rawat alleged selective enforcement by the BJP government. timesofindia.indiatimes.co
Leaders like Imran Pratapgarhi and MLA Dr. Md. Jawaid questioned the timing and jurisdiction changes, urging protection for the institution. madhyamamonline.com
BJP (ruling party in UP): No prominent public statements or defenses from senior BJP leaders appear in initial reports. The action is framed as routine enforcement of planning laws by the Rampur Development Authority and district administration (under the BJP government). Officials emphasize that approvals were mandatory regardless of later jurisdiction changes.
With the 15-day deadline drawing closer, the university’s fate may ultimately be decided in courtrooms, government offices, or through political negotiations. Whatever happens next, the battle over Mohammad Ali Jauhar University has evolved into something far larger than a dispute over building approvals. It has become a national conversation about the intersection of law, education, minority institutions, governance, and the responsibility of the State to balance strict enforcement with the preservation of public educational assets.
JANPATH NEWS NETWORK (JNN)
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