Faridabad’s Al-Falah University, which has come under intense scrutiny after investigators linked members of its medical college to the 10 November Red Fort blast, has submitted its formal reply to the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The show-cause notice was issued on 12 November, and two senior officials from the accreditation body confirmed on Friday that the university has now responded.
According to the officials, the university admitted that the outdated accreditation details displayed on its website stemmed from “oversight,” “website-design errors,” and “unintentional lapses.” They added that the institution appeared “apologetic” in its explanation and informed NAAC that all misleading claims had since been removed. At present, no further action is being considered.
NAAC Flags “Wrong and Misleading” Accreditation Details
The notice to Al-Falah University came just two days after investigators linked several doctors from its medical college to the Red Fort explosion, which killed at least 12 people. NAAC had pointed out that the institution was displaying “absolutely wrong and misleading” information, including an “A Grade” awarded to its engineering college in 2013 and accreditation for its teacher education school from 2011, despite validity lasting only five years.
The council directed the university to delete all inaccurate claims, submit a compliance report, and respond within seven days.
A senior NAAC official said the university provided a “long explanation” about the presence of these outdated details, reiterating they were the result of oversight and website-related errors. “They said the pages have now been taken down,” the official noted.
Officials Say Explanation Was Not Entirely Clear
A second NAAC official said the response “was not entirely straightforward.” He pointed out that the university attributed the lapse to old webpages that were missed and a staff member who failed to remove expired content. “They were apologetic and insisted it was not intentional,” he said, adding that it is challenging to monitor thousands of institutions manually, especially when obsolete claims are buried deep within internal webpages.
Following the Al-Falah case, NAAC has also issued notices to around 25 other institutions found displaying expired accreditation grades. Each has been asked to take down outdated information as part of a broader drive to improve transparency.
NAAC Tightens Oversight Amid Wider Concerns
The officials said these notices align with NAAC’s ongoing efforts to enforce compliance regarding the display of accreditation status. The council has repeatedly cautioned institutions against misrepresenting their grades. A “cautionary note” issued in March 2018 stated that outdated or false accreditation details mislead stakeholders and could make institutions “liable to face stringent action.”
Scrutiny Deepens as ED Arrests Al-Falah Group Chairman
The situation surrounding Al-Falah University has expanded beyond accreditation discrepancies. On 18 November, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, chairman of the Al-Falah group, in a money-laundering case connected to allegedly fraudulent accreditation claims and financial irregularities.
The Association of Indian Universities has already revoked the institution’s membership. Meanwhile, the National Medical Commission has struck four doctors, Muzaffar Ahmad Rather, Adeel Ahmad Rather, Muzammil Shakeel Ganaie and Shaheen Shahid, off its medical register after they were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for their alleged involvement in the Red Fort blast.
University Distances Itself From Arrested Doctors
Earlier, on 12 November, vice-chancellor Bhupinder Kaur issued a statement distancing the university from the arrested doctors, insisting the institution had “no connection” with them beyond their professional roles.
