Delhi High Court Rules on Attendance Requirements for Law Students

Court's Decision on Attendance Policies

On Monday, the Delhi High Court ruled that no law student in the country can be barred from taking exams due to insufficient attendance. The court issued several directives regarding mandatory attendance in law colleges and instructed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to revise attendance standards.

The bench, comprising Justice Pratibha M. Singh and Justice Sharma, emphasized that students should not be denied the opportunity to sit for exams based on low attendance. This ruling came as part of the resolution of a public interest litigation.

The petition was initiated following the tragic suicide of law student Sushant Rohilla in 2016, who reportedly took his life after being prevented from appearing for his semester exams due to lack of required attendance.

The bench remarked, "Considering the arguments from all parties and the realities presented, the court believes that rigid rules should not exist in general education, especially in legal education, which could adversely affect students' mental health."

Sushant Rohilla was a third-year law student at Amity University and took his life on August 10, 2016. Reports indicate that he was allegedly barred from taking his semester exams due to insufficient attendance. He left behind a suicide note expressing feelings of despair and a desire not to continue living.