The Delhi High Court has issued a comprehensive set of directives regarding attendance norms in educational institutions. These guidelines stem from a suo motu case initiated in response to the 2016 death by suicide of a law student.
Under the new rulings, educational institutions are prohibited from mandating attendance percentages that exceed the minimum prescribed by the Bar Council of India (BCI) for legal education. The BCI has been further directed to finalize its attendance norms for legal education and incorporate provisions that grant academic credit for student participation in activities such as moot courts, seminars, model parliaments, debates, and court hearings.
For students enrolled in 3-year and 5-year LLB degree courses, colleges are now barred from withholding promotion to the next semester solely on the grounds of attendance shortages. Institutions must also establish systems for regular attendance communication, including weekly notices to students via online portals or mobile applications, and monthly notices to parents or guardians if attendance shortages occur. The directives explicitly state that colleges cannot bar a student at the end of a semester, even if the student fails to meet the prescribed attendance norm. The court underscored that attendance regulations, particularly in legal education, should not be so stringent as to cause mental trauma or contribute to a student's death.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/legal-news/10-reasons-why-delhi-high-courts-ruling-will-boost-well-being-of-students-10343707/