Six hundred innocent students suffer fallout from terror probe.
Until the deadly Red Fort blast on November 10 claimed 15 lives, the university seemed flawless—UGC-approved, NAAC-rated, proudly celebrated.
Said a postgraduate MBBS student, pulling two suitcases behind him as he slowly walked out of the Al Falah University gates. A mask covered most of his face, but his eyes revealed a mix of fear, exhaustion, and disbelief.
“If the college shuts down tomorrow, five years of NEET struggle and lakhs of rupees—everything will vanish.
For many students, that fear feels painfully real. The cloud of suspicion descended abruptly. Until the Red Fort blast on November 10, which killed at least 15 people, the university appeared completely compliant and respectable—UGC-recognised, NAAC-accredited, banners proudly announcing rankings and achievements. Then came the arrests that changed everything: Dr. Umar un Nabi, the assistant professor accused of driving the car filled with explosives; Dr. Muzammil Shakil, from whose rented accommodation explosives were reportedly recovered; and finally the university’s own founder, Jawed Ahmed Siddiqui, taken into Enforcement Directorate custody over allegations involving ₹415 crore in “proceeds of crime.”
Within days, a quiet campus turned into a national spectacle. Students who once spent late nights preparing for clinical postings now found themselves answering questions from worried parents, curious neighbours, and even strangers online. Their academic routines dissolved into uncertainty.
Yet, surprisingly, college authorities confirmed that all 150 MBBS seats for the 2025–26 academic session have been filled. Established in 2019 with the required approvals, the medical college charges comparatively lower fees than most private medical institutions. Faculty members say this affordability—combined with the dream of becoming a doctor—continues to draw in students despite the swirling controversy.
Meanwhile, the university scrambled to address another issue. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) issued a show-cause notice after discovering that Al-Falah University was displaying an expired accreditation status on its website. The university responded quickly, blaming the display on an “oversight” and a “technical glitch in website design.” It apologised and promptly removed the outdated information. Even so, the episode raised fresh questions about governance and transparency.
Just months earlier, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) had withdrawn the university’s membership, adding yet another layer of scrutiny to an institution that now seemed caught in a storm from all sides.
But behind the headlines, everyday academic life is quietly collapsing. A senior faculty member, who still comes to campus despite growing tension, spoke to NDTV on the condition of anonymity. “We are also scared because the administration is silent,” he said. “But we come because abandoning these children now would be the real crime.
The sentiment among faculty members is increasingly one of helplessness. Many say they are torn between protecting their own careers and supporting students who did nothing wrong yet find themselves at the centre of a national controversy. Hostels that once echoed with late-night study groups now feel half-empty. Cafeterias remain open but eerily quiet. Parents call constantly, asking whether their children should withdraw—and where they could even go if they decide to leave.
For the 600 students enrolled across the medical programmes, life has been reduced to a single question: will their years of study hold any value when the dust settles? For now, no one—not teachers, not administrators, not even government officials—can offer a definite answer.
What remains is a campus filled with anxious young people hoping the institution they trusted does not become collateral damage in a much larger investigation.