Aligarh: President Pratibha Patil has approved the setting up of two outstation centres of Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), one each in West Bengal and Kerala, an official said here on Thursday.

AMU vice chancellor P.K. Abdul Azis said the approval from the president was received on Wednesday.

Patil gave the approval in the capacity of visitor of the university. The approval was granted for establishing centres at Murshidabad in West Bengal and Malappuram in Kerala under section 12 (2) of the university act.

"It is for the first time that the AMU is going to start centres outside the city of Aligarh," he added. IANS