Contribute to The Aligarian: An Invitation to Aligs, Leaders and Experts

Who we invite

• Distinguished alumni in public service, law, medicine, engineering, business, media, the arts and sports
• Vice chancellors, professors and researchers from AMU and other institutions
• Leaders and professionals with insight on education, careers and the future of students
• Alumni associations in India and abroad, sharing their work and events
• Students and young Aligs with a well-researched story or a fresh view
• Institutions and organisations in Aligarh with news to announce

Short on time? We can write it with you

We know senior professionals and public figures are busy. If you would like to share your story or views but cannot write a full article, tell us. Our editors can speak to you on a call or work from your notes or voice messages, draft the piece in your voice and send it to you for approval before it is published under your name. We also welcome regular guest columns from eminent Aligs.

What we publish

Everything we publish should help readers understand AMU, the Aligarh community or the city better. We are happy to receive:

• Alumni stories: the journey of an Alig after AMU, an achievement, a new role or a book.
• Campus life and memories: Hall life, teachers who shaped you, traditions, old photographs with their stories.
• History: Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the Aligarh Movement, MAO College, old buildings and the people behind them, with sources.
• Opinion and analysis: education, student issues, research and policy that affect AMU and its students, argued with facts.
• Student guides: admissions, courses, scholarships and careers, checked against official sources.
• Aligarh city: culture, food, places, civic issues and local people doing good work.
• Press releases: events, appointments, awards, research results, seminars and alumni meets.

How to send your article

1. Email your article as a Word file or a Google Doc link. Please do not send PDFs or text pasted inside images.
2. Write a suggested headline and a two-line summary in the email.
3. Keep features and opinion pieces between 600 and 1,500 words. Memories and short notes can be shorter.
4. List your sources at the end: books, official websites, dated news reports or documents.
5. Attach photos as separate JPG or PNG files, with who took each one and permission to use it.
6. Fill in your author profile details (below) in the same email.

How to send a press release

1. Put the main news in the first two lines: who, what, when and where.
2. Keep it between 300 and 600 words, with the date and place of the event.
3. Name the people quoted, with their designation.
4. Send it from the official email of the organisation, or add the name and designation of the person who approved it.
5. Attach two to five clear photos with captions and the photographer’s name.

Press releases are edited into news format. We may shorten them, change the headline or leave out promotional lines.

Your author profile

Every contributor gets an author profile on The Aligarian, and the article is published under that name. We create the profile for you. Please send:

• Full name, as you want it shown on the site
• A clear, recent photo of yourself (square, at least 400 x 400 pixels)
• A short bio in 40 to 60 words, written in the third person
• Your connection to AMU, if any: course, year and Hall (optional)
• Your current role and city
• One link to your website, LinkedIn, X or Instagram profile (optional)
• An email address for the profile, so we can reach you about your articles

Your email address is used only by our editors and is not shown on the site. For a press release, the profile can be in the name of the organisation.

Dos

• Send original work written by you, not published anywhere else, including your own blog.
• Check every fact, date and name. Use official sources such as amu.ac.in for admission, fee and exam details.
• Write in simple, clear English that a student or an old Alig can read easily.
• Give credit: name the source of a quote, a figure or a photo.
• Write about issues and ideas. Criticism is welcome when it is fair, factual and respectful.
• Tell us about any connection you have with the subject, such as working for the organisation you are writing about.

Don’ts

• No plagiarism or copied text. We check submissions, and copied work is rejected.
• No articles written by AI tools. Spelling and grammar tools are fine, but the writing and the thinking must be yours.
• No campaign material, vote appeals or promotion of any candidate or party, including in AMUSU elections. The Aligarian does not back any candidate.
• No content that targets any religion, community, caste, gender, region or person, and nothing that could incite hatred.
• No personal attacks, unverified allegations, rumours or anonymous claims about individuals.
• No leaked papers, private documents, or personal details such as phone numbers and addresses of others.
• No product promotion, paid links or hidden advertising. For sponsored content, see our advertise page.
• No images taken from Google or social media without the owner’s permission.

What happens after you submit

• Our editors read every submission and reply within 7 to 10 working days. Pieces from senior contributors and time-bound press releases are prioritised.
• If accepted, we edit for facts, clarity, length and our style. The headline may change. We share major changes with you before publishing.
• We set up your author profile and publish the article under your name.
• Links to outside websites in your article are marked nofollow, as per our policy.
• If we spot a mistake after publishing, we correct it as set out in our editorial policy.
• If you do not hear from us in 10 working days, you are free to send the piece elsewhere.

Rights and payment

You keep the copyright of your work. By submitting, you allow The Aligarian to publish it, edit it and share it on our website and social media. You can republish it elsewhere 30 days after it appears on The Aligarian, with a link back to the original. We do not charge any fee to publish articles or press releases, and we do not pay for contributions at present.

Frequently asked questions