Terror tag fear fuels call for renaming Al Falah University

Students at Al Falah University are demanding the rebranding of their institution in the wake of the arrests of several doctors teaching there for allegedly masterminding the Red Fort blast. A day after anxious parents met the university authorities, students on Sunday gathered on the campus to raise the demand.

The development comes even as the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has already served a show-cause notice to the university, bringing its accreditation under the scanner. Though no further communication has reportedly been initiated, students say they have been left in the lurch.

They claim that amid the controversy, it is their future that hangs in jeopardy. With the university authorities having no plans to shut the operations, there is no possibility of students being shifted to another college. They thus argue that the university’s name must be changed to protect them from lifelong stigma. Talking to The Tribune, an MBBS student said, “Search Al Falah on Google and all you find are stories linking it to terrorists. We have learnt that many of our seniors, who were to pursue specialisations in Europe, have been denied admission at the last moment. No prestigious organisation in India or abroad will accept our applications, let alone allow us to study or work there. For people like me, this MBBS costs around Rs 1 crore, and the university and the authorities that allowed it to operate must take accountability for our future.”

Echoing similar concerns, another student said, “This is my final year here and I was planning to pursue my specialisation in London. I have maintained good scores, but now my counsellor tells me I won’t even be able to apply to most institutions as they have barred Al Falah. The university wants us to stay quiet. They have threatened us not to speak to the media or even the authorities.”

As the gathering on the campus grew and situation escalated, Vice Chancellor Bhupinder Kaur Anand arrived there to pacify the students. The latter then engaged in a heated exchange with her. A 40-minute audio recording of the altercation has since been circulated by students. Some students alleged that the Vice Chancellor, in a threatening tone, forbade them from recording videos. Sources claim the university has barred students from speaking to the media, but many have emailed the Centre and state government authorities seeking intervention to secure their future.