A Delhi University student has alleged that some groups are attempting to persuade students to convert to Christianity through a gradual process involving friendship, academic and financial assistance, meals, movies and Sunday prayer gatherings. The allegations were made in an interview with Republic Media and have not been independently verified.
According to the student, the alleged outreach begins with informal interactions around the university, where students are befriended and asked about their personal, academic and financial difficulties. He claimed that students are subsequently invited to Sunday gatherings where Christian teachings and prayer sessions are introduced gradually.
Student alleges gradual outreach targeting vulnerable students
The student, speaking to Republic Media, alleged that the process does not begin with a direct appeal to convert. Instead, he claimed that individuals first establish friendships with students and try to understand their personal circumstances.
According to his account, students are approached in areas around the Arts Faculty and other parts of the university. The individuals allegedly ask students about the difficulties they are facing and offer assistance.
The student claimed that such interactions are framed as offers of support, with students being told that help would be available for academic or personal problems.
He alleged that once a relationship has been established, students are invited to programmes held on Sundays and holidays. According to him, these gatherings subsequently become a platform for introducing participants to Christian teachings and religious practices.
Movies, meals and prayer sessions at Sunday gatherings
The student further alleged that the gatherings combine social activities with religious content. According to him, students are shown movies, offered lunch or dinner and gradually introduced to prayer sessions.
He claimed that Christian teachings and rules are not necessarily discussed during the first interaction. Instead, religious material is allegedly introduced over a period of time as students become more familiar with the people organising the programmes.
The student described the process as gradual, alleging that students are initially attracted by friendship and assistance before being exposed more regularly to Christian religious activities.
He further alleged that participants are eventually encouraged to consider Christianity as a solution to personal problems and are told about the perceived benefits of becoming part of the Christian community.
Allegations of pressure to convert
According to the student, those involved do not immediately ask students to convert. He alleged that pressure, if it occurs, develops only after students have repeatedly attended the gatherings and become familiar with the group.
He claimed that students are gradually exposed to Christian beliefs and are subsequently encouraged to accept Christianity.
The student also alleged that individuals promoting conversion sometimes portray Christianity as superior to other faiths and suggest that accepting the religion could help resolve personal difficulties.
He further claimed that students who decline to convert are not necessarily subjected to direct punishment. However, according to his account, students who have already converted may sometimes attempt to persuade their friends or acquaintances by connecting personal problems with religious beliefs.
These allegations have not been independently corroborated.
Financial and academic assistance offered
The student also spoke about alleged material assistance offered to students.
When asked whether students were promised specific academic benefits, including assistance with PhD admissions, he said he had not personally encountered such an offer. However, he alleged that financial assistance and help with academic difficulties were discussed.
According to his account, students were told that financial support could be provided and that help would be available if they faced difficulties in their studies.
The distinction is significant because the student’s account does not allege that specific university admissions or academic positions were being directly offered in exchange for conversion. Rather, his allegation concerns promises of general financial and academic assistance.
Foreign nationals present at some gatherings
The student also claimed that foreign nationals sometimes attended the gatherings.
According to him, the nationality of participants depended on the group organising a particular programme. He cited Korean and American Christian groups as examples, saying that students could encounter foreign nationals at gatherings associated with those groups.
The presence of foreign nationals at a religious gathering, by itself, does not establish that conversion was being carried out illegally or coercively. The student’s claim about their presence is part of his broader account and has not been independently verified.
No official DU response so far
The allegations come amid ongoing activity and debates around student affairs at Delhi University. The university’s official website currently lists notices concerning the 2026-27 DUSU elections, academic matters, admissions and campus administration, but the material reviewed for this report does not contain an official statement from the university specifically confirming or rejecting the conversion allegations.
