New Delhi: Saying that the institute did not appear to be “in good standing”, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) on Thursday suspended the membership of Al-Falah University, which came under scrutiny as the workplace of three doctors who allegedly carried out the Red Fort blast.
AIU secretary Pankaj Mittal, in a letter to university’s vice chancellor Bhupinder Kaur Anand, said that according to bye-laws of the association, all universities are treated as members as long as they remain in good standing.
“However, as per media reports, it has come to notice that Al-Falah University, Faridabad, Haryana does not appear to be in good standing. Accordingly, the membership of AIU accorded to Al-Falah University, Faridabad, Haryana stands suspended with immediate effect,” the letter read.
The AIU notice added that the university was no longer authorised to use the name or logo of the association, and it must be removed from the varsity’s official website immediately.
University officials did not respond to queries for a comment till Thursday night.
AIU, an advisory body under the Union Education Ministry, evaluates and recognises degrees, diplomas and qualifications from Indian and foreign universities. By providing equivalence certificates, AIU ensures that students’ academic credentials are officially recognised across India, facilitating higher education, employment and professional opportunities. This helps maintain standardisation and credibility in the academic system while supporting student mobility and international collaboration.
The Faridabad university’s Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences and Research Centre came under scanner after a car explosion near Red Fort in central Delhi killed 12 people on 10 November. The car, investigators found, was driven by Dr Umar un Nabi, who worked at Al Falah and died in the explosion.
Days before that, police had arrested two other doctors who worked at the medical college, Dr Muzammil Shakeel and Dr Shaheen Shahid. The three, investigators said, were part of the terror module that had planned and carried out the Red Fort blast.
The university on Wednesday distanced itself from the suspects’ role in the Delhi terror attack and said it had no connection with the trio’s activities other than their official responsibilities on campus. It also clarified that no chemical or incendiary material was stored or handled within the university’s premises, as claimed by “certain online portals”. The allegation, it said, was “misleading”.
Asked about the AIU suspension, Mittal told ThePrint that around 1,100 Indian universities are recognised by the association.
“Other than equivalence, the members get opportunities for wider networking and mutual consultation. It also gives them the chance to participate in our vice-chancellors’ conference,” Mittal told ThePrint.
Apart from AIU, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) this week issued a show-cause notice to the varsity for allegedly displaying false accreditation on its website. The council described the claims as “misleading” and against its norms.
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