Can raps and reels save face for Galgotias University?

New Delhi: What does damage control look like in 2026? Apparently, it drops with a beat! In the middle of a reputational storm, Galgotias University didn’t roll out a dry press note or a lawyerly clarification. It dropped a rap song.

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It flooded Instagram with glossy reels. It got students to talk up “what an institution this is.” It stitched together campus testimonials. It rolled out videos contrasting “how Indian media portrayed us” versus testimonials from visitors such as Vineeta Singh of SUGAR Cosmetics and RJ Naved praising the campus.

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It is a familiar playbook in the age of social media: counter criticism with content! But experts say education is not a sector where perception alone can repair damage.

Before the PR push, repair the internal fracture

Vikram Kharvi, CEO at Bloomingdale PR, argued that most institutions get the instinct wrong at the very first step. “When credibility is called into question publicly, the instinct is often to defend or deflect. That instinct is almost always wrong. The first thing any institution needs to do is resist the urge to manage the story and instead focus on telling the truth, internally before externally. Your students, your faculty, and your staff will hear everything. If they hear your version of events from a journalist before they hear it from you, you’ve already lost the internal battle. And internal trust, once broken, takes far longer to rebuild than public perception,” he said.

And then comes the longer road. “For the external reset, the path back is never a single statement or press conference. It’s a series of consistent, honest actions over time. Own what went wrong specifically, not in vague corporate language, but in plain human terms. Then demonstrate change, not just intent. The media and the public are remarkably forgiving of mistakes. What they don’t forgive is the appearance that nothing was learned.”

The question, then, is whether rap videos count as “demonstrated change.”

A credibility crisis is a governance crisis

Danish Malik, Founder of Boomlet, reframed the crisis more structurally. “A crisis of credibility is ultimately a governance issue, not a communications issue. Communication can amplify trust, but only accountability can restore it. Institutions that respond with humility, evidence and structural change often emerge stronger because they demonstrate that integrity matters more than optics.”

“In moments like these, the priority has to be radical transparency. Acknowledge the concerns clearly, separate facts from claims, and commit to an independent review if required. Trust is rebuilt not through statements, but through visible corrective action,” he added.

Education is not entertainment

Vivek Srivastava, Founder of Integrated Brand Heuristics, is even more direct. “Education isn't an industry; it’s an endeavour unlike any business. An educational institution’s image is cent per cent around credibility and trust. Most of the private universities are falling prey to frivolous tactics that get them views and likes on social media instead of building authenticity. Rather than focus on glitz and glamour, as is the case with most private universities, one should build on meaningful student experiences that shape academic excellence and personality development. Prospective Students and their wards see through the hollowness of the lofty announcements about placements and trumped-up 8-figure packages. That’s why the equity, trust and belief in the humbler and rooted institutions are higher, unlike the recently set up wannabe institutions.”

For Hamsini Shivakumar, Founder-Director of Leapfrog Strategy Consulting, a serious loss of credibility can only be repaired with credibility-building, genuine acts. “Trying to whitewash the incident through a few PR efforts won't cut it,” she added.

What can Galgotias do? 

“The University immediately needs to own up to its mistake and come clean. The senior management of the University, including the Chancellor and/or the CEO, should immediately call for a press conference and apologise to all the stakeholders sincerely,” Nikhil Rangnekar, CEO at MediaCircle said. 

“If they have a Rs 350 crore AI program, they should invite media to their sprawling campus and showcase their facilities and their areas of investment to provide credence to their claims. That will do some damage control. Also, they should highlight the quality of their faculty with their credentials and their specialised state-of-the-art programs for students. Placement of students and speaking to some of their employers,” Madhurima Bhatia, Head of PR & Partnerships, Ipsos India & APAC, added.

The scapegoat problem

One person cannot carry institutional failure. “Building a strong reputation takes years of consistent effort, but one mistake can damage it in an instant. Galgotias University finds itself in this precarious situation, and it is the students who will have to bear the brunt of this controversy. While it was the initial act that kicked off this entire fiasco, matters worsened when the entire blame was pinned on one person. Making an employee the scapegoat is the worst possible way such a situation can be handled,” said Rangnekar.

“Finding a scapegoat alone won't help unless the system is built on a strong foundation of values and a track record,” Bhatia underscored.

Restore credibility through action, not amplification

“Sectors like education and healthcare won't be measured by the same yardstick as FMCG or tech when it comes to handling a crisis around values like authenticity and trust. Because these values are core to what these institutions are. These are times when ownership of errors at the highest level, humility, and a clear pledge of action matter more than any PR exercise,” said Nisha Sampath, Brand Consultant and Managing Partner of Bright Angles Consulting LLP.

“As we saw with IndiGo, failure to communicate in time and failure to express genuine emotion can add catastrophic damage to an already fragile situation,” she added.

“In a nutshell, restore credibility through action and transparency, not just messaging,” Rangnekar added.