Once a beacon of service, Jamia Hamdard now a battleground of disputes

A product of one man’s missionary zeal, Jamia Hamdard University — one of Delhi’s legacy institutions — is today grappling with internal strife that threatens its very foundations.

A day after students and faculty of Jamia marked the death anniversary of founder Hakeem Abdul Hameed, a unani physician and educationist, it has come to light that the university’s flagship medical college has not been allotted any seat for the 2025-26 academic session.

The Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (HIMSR) has been allotted zero seats in the seat matrix published by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for the 2025-26 admission session.

“This issue is linked to an ongoing contentious issue between Jamia Hamdard and HIMSR, which is currently sub judice before the court,” HIMSR wrote in a public notice issued by college Dean Musharraf Hussain.

Last month, the university wrote to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), asking to withdraw 150 MBBS seats at HIMSR for the 2025–26 academic session, following audit observations flagged in a CAG report.

At the heart of Jamia Hamdard’s troubles is a family dispute that began after the death of Hakeem’s eldest son, Abdul Mueed.

A bitter conflict over who should lead the Hamdard National Foundation (HNF) Trust — Abdul Mueed’s younger brother or his son — has dragged on for nearly a decade, intensifying over the past two years and leaving the university in a state of paralysis.

A settlement deed initially separated the medical college from the rest of the university, granting HIMSR autonomy. However, the university’s leadership now demands full control, insisting that fees be deposited into their accounts and their appointed dean oversees operations.

This power struggle has led to chaos. “There are two deans now — one appointed by the college, one by the university,” Aqsa Sheikh, professor, Department of Community Medicine at HIMSR, and a prominent transgender rights activist explains. “Each wants their signatures on official documents, leaving students and faculty caught in the crossfire,” she says.

The conflict has escalated to the point of vandalism, with offices broken into and faculty members, including those living on campus, facing eviction threats. The university is also involved in various court cases in Delhi, primarily related to its internal affairs, property disputes and disputes with the Hamdard National Foundation. Some of these cases involve challenges to the university’s administration, financial matters and the implementation of family settlements.

The university’s current state stands in stark contrast to its founder’s vision of delivering quality education and healthcare to underserved communities.

Old timers recall how Hakeem Hameed’s small clinic in Old Delhi grew into Majeedia Hospital, followed by the establishment of Unani Medical College, and, in 2012, the launch of HIMSR, which introduced allopathic medical education. In 1989, the Union Government recognised this growing legacy and declared Jamia Hamdard a “deemed-to-be university” under Section 3 of the UGC Act.

But today students are suffering. PG student Saud Khan at HIMSR described an incident where university officials informed students the night before their final exams that the tests were cancelled, only to reverse the decision hours before the scheduled time.

“Students were crying on their way to the exam hall. We hadn’t studied, thinking there was no exam,” Khan said.

Saima Afshan, a 2019-batch student at HIMSR, recalls, “Last year, hostel rooms were allotted to newly admitted students after they paid the fees. But when the freshers arrived at the hostel, a group of 10–15 people suddenly showed up and asked them to leave. Where were these freshers supposed to go?” she asked.

Khan shared the plight of a friend who cleared Steps 1 and 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination but now risks losing the opportunity to practice abroad, as the university has refused to issue his degree — citing an invalid dean’s signature.

“They told us the dean who signed my internship certificate isn’t recognised by them. How is that our fault?” Khan asked.

The university’s decision to exclude HIMSR from MBBS counselling has resulted in the withdrawal of 150 medical seats and 50 postgraduate seats.

The university administration, meanwhile, is tight-lipped. “There are problems, but we cannot talk about it,” a member of the university administration told The Tribune.

Delhi