Galgotias students on being trolled: ‘People laugh at us, relatives say don’t bring a Chinese degree’

Despite the flood of memes, some online voices expressed empathy for the students. (Image credit: News Laundry)

As Galgotias University continues to face scrutiny and ridicule after attempting to pass off a China-made robodog as their own at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, students have come forward to share that they are being brutally trolled--online and offline--by peers, relatives, and strangers.

During an interaction with Newslaundry, one student said friends and family have been ridiculing them since the story broke. “They are all laughing at us. They ask us, ‘Oh! You're from that fake university?’” the student said.

Another added the running joke now is whether Galgotias graduates will end up with “Chinese degrees”, echoing the criticism that the university passed off imported technology as its own. “They are saying that whatever you do, don’t return with a Chinese degree. We want a proper Indian degree,” the student said.

These responses reflect a growing sentiment online, where the university’s credibility has become the subject of memes, trolling, and pointed commentary. Hundreds of posts on X mock the institution for allegedly misrepresenting technology.

REPORTER : What do you think about your Galgotias university?

Related Stories

• This AI might pay your bill if it likes your plan
• 'If you don’t help yourself, neither can the company': KPIT CEO urges staff to be AI-ready
• Mumbai man says his plumber earns Rs 18 LPA, owns house, has a Hyundai Creta: 'Shocking'

STUDENTS :Don't give me a fake degree from China, I want an original Indian degree. A legacy built by students, destroyed by administrators pic.twitter.com/ghb44IIcpb — viral content (@viralcontent22) February 19, 2026

Controversy triggers public sympathy for students

Despite the flood of memes, some online voices expressed empathy for the students. Many noted that final-year batches, who are preparing for job interviews, might face prejudice due to the controversy, even though they were not responsible for the incident.

One viral reaction said: “Feeling sad for the final year students… no one would be more embarrassed than those who are about to sit in interviews.”

Another user wrote that those responsible for the misrepresentation should apologise to students who are hard-working and ambitious, noting that academic reputations are fragile and often follow graduates into their careers.

The robodog controversy has already made some alumni members of Galgotias reconsider mentioning the university in their resumes or even acknowledging it at workplaces.

How the robodog controversy began

The uproar started when a clip from the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi showed a university representative describing a robot dog—introduced as “Orion”—as a home-developed creation capable of surveillance and advanced mobility.

Online users quickly identified the machine as a Unitree Go2, a Chinese-made commercially available robot dog. Multiple reports confirm that the model displayed at the summit matched the Chinese product.

Following the incident, organisers asked Galgotias University to vacate its stall. Viral videos show barricades placed around the pavilion and the university’s staff were seen vacating the premises after government officials said they only wanted “genuine work” displayed.

Meanwhile, officials termed the episode a “national embarrassment” and reiterated that exhibitors must not display technology that is not their own.

University’s clarification fails to stop backlash

Galgotias University later issued a public apology, calling the incident a result of “factually incorrect information” provided by an ill-informed representative. The university stressed it had no intention of misleading the public and that the robodog was recently acquired from Unitree for student learning.

This further fuelled the online trolling now being directed not just at the university, but also at students who had no involvement in the controversy.