Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH :
Prof. Zakia Athar Siddiqi
Prof. Zakia Athar Siddiqi, former Principal of Women’s College of AMU and Officer on Special Duty at Aligarh Public School, exemplifies an ideal of educational leadership that is founded on integrity, discipline and vision. In her first year as Principal in 2006, Prof. Siddiqi led the institution through a successful revitalization, stabilization and development process. More than anything, Prof. Siddiqi stands out from other educational leaders by being a true volunteer leader—she has never financially benefited from her service at either school. For example, she did not take advantage of school transportation nor receive housing at either institution. Rather, her contributions to both institutions are more about commitment than they are about convenience.
When Prof. Siddiqi began as Principal in 2006, the academic results of the school were troubling. About 40% to 50% of students passed the High School examination. Within a few years, due to consistent planning for academic improvement and appropriate reforms, student results improved significantly. Since 2007, the school’s pass rate has consistently increased to 90% to 95%, and has achieved a 100% pass rate on a number of occasions; multiple students have passed with distinct grades for many subjects. The evolution of these outcomes did not occur by chance; they resulted from an intentional focus on teacher preparation, educator accountability, and student support programs.
Academic upliftment was the primary focus of her leadership in revamping the institution. Classrooms were well-structured; lessons were planned systematically; and student performance was monitored transparently. The teachers were encouraged to implement more effective pedagogical strategies so that all students not only passed their tests but also developed confidence through conceptual clarity. In a time when high-quality education often comes at a high cost, APS has been able to keep a low fee structure during her tenure as head of the institution. This has enabled families in the Aligarh area to obtain quality schooling without having to worry about financial burden. Education was a right, rather than a privilege, under her leadership; she ensured that the institution’s social character was preserved while strengthening its academic stature.
The extent of her concern for inclusion is evidenced by her provision of significant financial assistance via freeships to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In just the 2025-26 academic year, she provided Rs 17,000,000 in assistance to students. While this is just a number, for hundreds of families, it represents their ability for their children to continue their education without interruption. This reinforces the idea that APS is truly an academic institution and a socially responsible one.
The way that Prof. Siddiqi has led staff welfare also brought dignity and structure to it. When she took charge, she implemented a formal salary scale and created a systematic way to increase salaries according to the U.P. Government’s pay scales for teachers and staff where applicable. There were regular salary increases for all staff and teachers that used a process that was transparent. This created motivation, consistency and loyalty to the institution for the staff. The way that a school will develop is by ensuring that its teachers believe they are valued and feel safe.
Under her leadership, administrative reforms led to an increase in transparency. This included modernising the record keeping systems, streamlining work processes, and making information easily accessible. Institutional discipline improved while not creating rigidity. Transparency became a signature of the APS administration providing trust between the parent body, the staff and governing bodies.
Under her leadership, infrastructure development has been another mainstay. The construction of a new hall complex that is fully air-conditioned and has other modern features was completed in 2015, giving the school an enhanced ability to host both academic and cultural events. In 2020, four additional classrooms with modern furniture were added to assist with the increase in enrolment. Both of these projects enhanced the amount of space available for additional academic related usage and were not just cosmetic upgrades to the school.
Serious attention was focused on security and preparedness with the installation of CCTV surveillance systems throughout the campus in 2017 to help keep students and staff safe. A Renault Triber vehicle was purchased to help respond to emergencies and to safely transport employees when necessary. These types of measures demonstrate a style of leadership that looks at anticipated challenges instead of merely reacting to them.
The development of an all-new computer laboratory under the SAFAL Project of the Ministry of HRD provided yet another addition to APS’s academic framework. The laboratory has been outfitted with updated technology that will help support competency-based learning and diagnostic assessment. The SAFAL initiative has been designed to help schools track and measure how students learn, as well as to modify and enhance their overall instructional strategy. By providing progressive initiatives such as this, Prof. Siddiqi is able to align APS with national educational reform efforts.
The school’s financial transformation likely represents the best example of how Prof. Siddiqi has fulfilled her role as an educational leader. When she assumed control of the school in 2006, the school had approximately one crore rupees available in the corpus. By 2025, that corpus had expanded to ten crores. This significant increase in the school’s finances was accompanied by significant expansion of the school’s physical infrastructure, increased salaries for employees, and increased amount of financial assistance provided to low-income families. The financial consolidation that occurred during this time frame is a reflection of strong financial management, transparency, and long-term planning. A growing corpus provides all financial stakeholders with confidence that their respective financial contributions to the school are being utilized in a responsible manner, as well as allowing them to feel secure in their respective long-term commitments to the school.
Her ongoing ability to provide continuity during periods of administrative change reinforces her professionalism in a variety of environments. She has worked under numerous vice chancellor ships since commencing work at Aligarh Muslim University, including those of Mr Naseem Ahmad (IAS), Professor P.K. Abdul Aziz, Lieutenant General Zameer Uddin Shah and Professor Tariq Mansoor. Continuing in a prominent role during all of these administrations demonstrates the level of trust within the organisation to her competence and integrity.
She has received recognition for her contributions to education at the national level as evidenced by numerous awards that include the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Award (2025), the Women Icon Award (2024), the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award (2024), the Bharat Leader Award (2024), the Lifetime Achievement Award (2023 – by the Government of Maharashtra), the Best Principal Award (2018 – by the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
Today, Aligarh Public School is exemplary in its academic performance, transparent administration, social equity, and ability to carry on financially. The way APS grew from those early days of little student success, minimal resources to now being so strongly and consistently successful, is directly attributed to the incredible leadership of Prof. Zakia Athar Siddiqi. Thousands of students and families she impacted or touched throughout this development have had irrevocably changed futures as a result of her quietly powerful work. Her service has demonstrated that visionary leadership combined with integrity and compassion can create a transformation in an institution. As a result of her devoted efforts, APS has become a stronger institution and has reaffirmed the importance of education as a vehicle for social progress and national development.
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( Author is Writer, Donor Member of AMU & Director of Media Centre at Aligarh. Email: nikhatoffice@gmail.com )
source : http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Positive Story / by Nikhat Parveen / March 10th, 2026
