NEW DELHI: The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has recently issued a show-cause notice to Al-Falah University for allegedly presenting “false and misleading” accreditation claims on its official website. This action comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the university in connection with a deadly blast near the Red Fort that resulted in the deaths of 13 individuals.
In the notice released on Thursday, NAAC confirmed that Al-Falah University “is neither accredited nor has ever applied for accreditation,” despite the institution’s website prominently asserting that several colleges under the Al-Falah Charitable Trust, including the Al-Falah School of Engineering and Technology and the Al-Falah School of Education & Training, have been “Graded A by NAAC.” NAAC has described these claims as “absolutely wrong” and deceptive, stating that they have the potential to mislead the public, particularly parents, students, and other stakeholders.
In light of these findings, NAAC has mandated the university to immediately remove any references to its accreditation from its website, brochures, and any other public communications or admissions materials. Accreditation by NAAC is considered a vital quality benchmark in Indian higher education and heavily influences student admissions, faculty recruitment, research funding, and regulatory approvals. Making false claims regarding accreditation is a significant violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and raises concerns over the competitive fairness among educational institutions.
This notice comes at a particularly sensitive time, as Delhi is reeling from the aftermath of a high-intensity car explosion near the historic Red Fort, which also coincided with the unveiling of what authorities described as a “white-collar terror module.” Among those apprehended in relation to this module were three doctors affiliated with Al-Falah University, leading to increased scrutiny of the institution’s connections and regulatory status.
Officials have stated that this NAAC action is a separate matter from the ongoing investigation into the terrorist incident; however, it underscores heightened attention to regulatory compliance and institutional transparency, especially when an institution is under investigation for serious unrelated matters. The university has been given a specific timeframe to respond to the notice, with the potential for further regulatory measures if it fails to comply.
As investigations surrounding the Red Fort blast continue to unfold, the questions raised by the university’s accreditation claims call for greater scrutiny of governance and oversight practices at educational institutions. There is a possibility that this case may prompt more comprehensive checks and evaluations across private universities in the future.