Lekha G –
The Delhi High Court issued a notice in a petition filed by final-year students of the Faculty of Law, Delhi University seeking cancellation of fourth-semester examinations that were postponed due to the pandemic.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) had issued guidelines in April 2020 allowing universities to evaluate students on the composite scheme but however, the Bar Council of India (BCI) directed all law colleges to conduct exams for intermediary semesters by notification in November 2020.
This order was quashed by Karnataka High Court in Ritvik Balanagraj B v. Bar Council of India & Ors.
Despite this, the University scheduled to conduct the fourth-semester exam a month after the competition of the petitioner’s sixth-semester exam.
The Court stated that a stay wasn’t required against the conduct of sixth-semester exams and said, “If the petitioners make out a case for such an order, the rights of the parties in this regard can be adjusted at the appropriate stage, by directing that the University holds the supplementary examination for the fourth semester within a reasonable time.”
The Court further sought response from Delhi University, BCI and UGC in the petitions and directed the University in their counter-affidavit to elaborate on the measures taken to ensure Covid affected students and students unable to clear examinations are provided with an opportunity to clear fourth-semester examinations within a reasonable time.
In this context, the BCI set up an expert committee headed by the former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court and several heads of law faculties to deliberate upon the nature of the evaluation of law schools in India.
The matter is to be further heard on 5 July 2021.