10 campuses, 15 years: Can NFSU ease India's forensics crisis?

While National Forensic Sciences University adds its 11th campus and trains thousands, India's laboratories struggle with around 1,300 vacant posts across 26 labs

- Shradha Chettri

From a single campus in Gujarat to a sprawling network across continents, the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) has emerged as a relief to India's growing demand for forensic expertise. With its 11th campus set to open in Nagpur and over 4,400 students enrolled nationwide, NFSU currently runs about 40 different courses. The university also has a foreign campus in Uganda in East Africa.

"We are working now to establish the 11th campus of NFSU in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The foundation stone of it was laid down on May 26, 2025," stated an official.

NFSU was established in 2009 as Gujarat Forensic Sciences University during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure as chief minister. In October 2020, the university was elevated to the Institution of National Importance status and made into a central university. The university held its first convocation in 2022 where a total of 1,132 students from 2019-21 and 2020-22 batches were conferred degrees.

"Starting with four courses in three institutes, the university shrugged off the inception stages very early with pioneering efforts of introducing distinctive courses that were unique such as forensic nursing, forensic odontology, forensic nursing, homeland security and anti-terrorism, digital forensics to mention a few," states the university website.

The growth of this institution has come alongside an acute staffing crisis at forensic laboratories and declining faith in the quality of training in specialised programmes.

NFSU campuses

The erstwhile Gujarat Forensic University was established in Gandhinagar and JM Vyas was appointed as the first director general. Vyas is now the vice chancellor of the university with each campus having its own director.