NewsIMTSDelhi High Court ruled on Monday that no law college or university can bar students from taking exams due to lack of minimum attendance. The court directed the Bar Council of India to re-evaluate mandatory attendance norms, stating they shouldn't be so stringent that they lead to mental trauma or death. This judgment came while disposing of a petition related to law student Sushant Rohilla's suicide in this year after being barred from exams. The court ordered all educational institutions to form grievance redressal committees and directed that no student should be prevented from taking exams for attendance shortage. Instead, final grades may be reduced by maximum 5% for marks or 0.33% for CGPA. The court also mandated weekly attendance notifications and monthly notices to parents about attendance shortage. Students can check their attendance status regularly through online portals or mobile apps that colleges must implement. (Updated 4 Nov 2025, 09:32 IST; source: link)
Court Protects Students' Right to Take Exams
The Delhi High Court has ruled that law colleges and universities cannot prevent students from appearing in examinations due to attendance shortage. This significant judgment came while addressing a petition related to law student Sushant Rohilla's suicide in 2016, who took his life after being barred from exams. The court directed the Bar Council of India to reconsider its mandatory attendance requirements, stating that such norms should not be so strict that they cause mental trauma or lead to extreme consequences like death. Instead of exam prohibition, the court suggested that institutions may reduce final grades by a maximum of 5% for marks or 0.33% for CGPA in cases of attendance shortage.
New Attendance Monitoring System Ordered
Following its ruling, the Delhi High Court has mandated several measures to improve attendance tracking in educational institutions. All colleges and universities must now form grievance redressal committees to handle attendance-related issues. The court also ordered weekly notifications to students about their attendance status and monthly notices to parents when attendance falls below required levels. To ensure transparency, institutions must implement online portals or mobile applications where students can regularly check their attendance records. These measures aim to create a more supportive system that helps students stay informed about their attendance while preventing the harsh consequence of exam prohibition.
Key Points
- The court directed the Bar Council of India to re-evaluate mandatory attendance norms, stating they shouldn't be so stringent that they lead to mental trauma or death.
- This judgment came while disposing of a petition related to law student Sushant Rohilla's suicide in this year after being barred from exams.
- Instead, final grades may be reduced by maximum 5% for marks or 0.33% for CGPA.
