Delhi HC Ruling: Attendance No Barrier for Law Exams

New Delhi, Nov 3 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has issued a significant judgment stating that no law student in India should be barred from participating in examinations due to insufficient attendance. The court provided several guidelines addressing mandatory attendance requirements in law schools and instructed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to revise these norms.

A bench comprising Justices Prathiba M Singh and Sharma delivered this ruling while concluding a suo motu petition originally initiated by the Supreme Court, following the tragic case of Sushant Rohilla. Rohilla, a third-year law student at Amity, died by suicide in 2016 after reportedly being prohibited from taking semester exams due to inadequate attendance.

The court emphasized the necessity of not imposing excessively stringent educational norms, particularly in legal education, that could result in mental distress or, worse, student fatalities. It underscored that due to insufficient attendance, no student should face hindrances in semester promotions or examinations.

While delivering the judgment, the high court instructed the BCI to conduct comprehensive consultations with relevant stakeholders, including student bodies, parents, and educators, to protect the mental health and lives of students. The court highlighted the detrimental impact mandatory attendance requirements could have if they resulted in exam bans or delayed academic progress.

Pending these consultations, the court mandated that no law student in India be prevented from taking exams or pursuing further educational and career goals due to insufficient attendance. The institutions were also advised not to enforce attendance norms exceeding those stipulated by the BCI.

In regards to the BCI's attendance requirements, the court directed that all recognized law institutions offering three-year and five-year programs immediately implement mechanisms such as weekly online attendance updates, monthly notifications to parents about attendance shortages, and extra classes for students with inadequate attendance.

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