Al Falah students fear stigma, empty out campus

Anxious parents trying to get in and students rushing out with bags -- that’s the scene outside Al Falah University in Faridabad. With the medical institution emerging as the epicentre of the “white-collar” terror and its accreditation under the scanner, both faculty members and students have been left a harried lot.

Though the university claims innocence and insists it had only a professional relationship with the doctors accused of masterminding the attack, students and teachers say they feel labelled and want a quick exit from the turmoil.

Sources claim the university is trying to keep classes running and hostels occupied, but a majority of students are “fleeing”, citing personal reasons such as marriage, unwell parents or medical emergencies.

“I am still in shock. Only I know how my parents paid to secure a seat here. Now the university is in trouble and speculation is rife that it will be sealed soon. Amid all this, placement feels like a distant dream, and with the accreditation crisis, even getting a degree seems uncertain. Investigative agencies come daily and our communication is under watch. It is unbearable. I have called my parents to take me home,” says a third-year MBBS student.

Students claim the university is tight-lipped and they have received no communication about what may happen next. Gripped with confusion, ignorance and fear, over 65 per cent of students are reportedly not attending classes and have left, though the university has not confirmed the numbers.

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has already issued a show-cause notice to the university for claiming Grade A accreditation for two of its institutions without participating in NAAC surveys.

Dr Dhruv Chauhan, national spokesperson for the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said, “We need to secure the future of innocent students. A thorough investigation must be done and those not involved should be shifted to other colleges. They should not suffer for the deeds of others or live in fear of their degrees being affected.”

A 57-year-old resident of Srinagar, who had come to pick up his ward, said, “I got a paid seat for my child and today we have been left in the lurch. We went to the university headquarters in Delhi but nobody is ready to address our concerns. My child is in first year and I paid a high amount for the seat. We are Kashmiris. This incident and the institution will label him for life. We want an exit even if it costs him a year.”

The university has 200 students in each batch, with a course fee of around Rs 74 lakh. Not just students but even faculty members are looking for a graceful exit.

One doctor, on the condition of anonymity, said, “I knew we were going down the day the Faridabad raids happened. I applied to all nearby hospitals and colleges, but now everyone says they won’t hire those from Al-Falah. I will resign and run a clinic back home for now.”