The Delhi High Court has underscored the importance of diligence and seriousness in pursuing professional degree courses, particularly in law, by upholding the attendance requirements set by educational institutions. The court dismissed a plea from a female student at Delhi University’s Faculty of Law, who sought permission to appear in her third semester LLB exams despite not meeting the minimum attendance criterion.
Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela affirmed a previous ruling by a single judge, emphasizing that professional courses require committed participation. “While concurring with the reasoning rendered by the single judge, we too are of the considered opinion that students pursuing such professional degree courses must pursue the said courses with all seriousness and due diligence,” the division bench noted in their decision dated February 21.
The student in question had been part of the provisional list of detainees released on December 22, 2024, which identified students who fell short of the attendance requirement. Despite her claims of being incorrectly listed and not receiving her exam admit card, the court found no valid reason to overrule the established academic regulations. The final list, published on January 4, confirmed her detention due to insufficient attendance.
The bench highlighted that the student was aware of her attendance deficit and had even participated in remedial classes, yet she only achieved 54% attendance—significantly below the university’s 70% threshold. “The rules of the respondent or university prescribe attendance at 70 percent for eligibility to participate in a particular semester examination,” the court added, underscoring the necessity of adhering to academic standards.
