DU barred LLM Students From Exams Citing Attendance, Sparking Outcry Over Unfair Treatment
On July 3rd, the Faculty of Law at Delhi University announced that 44 LLM students would be barred from taking their upcoming exams due to insufficient attendance. This decision affects 32 students from the three-year program and 12 from the two-year program, out of a total of around 130 students enrolled in the course.
The timing of the announcement has sparked significant controversy and frustration among the students as the detention order came exactly 18 hours before the commencement of examination, leaving the affected students with no opportunity to rectify the situation. Despite numerous appeals from the students, the university administration has not allowed them to attend the examination. Many students are calling the move unjust and are seeking further recourse to address what they see as an unfair decision. The detention order allegedly came suddenly without a prior notice.
For the first-year students enrolled in the three-year LLM program, the situation is particularly dire. With a batch strength of approximately 60, more than half of these students face detention, meaning they will not be promoted to the next semester.
A source close to the situation expressed deep frustration, stating, “We requested the same from the administration, but they refused to listen. How fair is it that LLB students receive remedial classes while LLM students in the same Faculty of Law are detained for the same reason for attendance shortage? Not only we but our parents are worried, as this step taken by the university will ruin our careers. We request that the administration kindly reconsider their decision and resolve the issue.”
Adding to the controversy, another source has raised several pointed questions against the department. “When we went to raise the issue, the college dean was absent,” the source stated. “Furthermore, the teachers, who are supposed to conduct 60 hours of classes according to attendance regulations, have only conducted 24 hours of classes.”
The source also alleged a lack of transparency in the attendance regulation process, highlighting that no prior notice was given before the detentions were announced. “There is no transparency in attendance regulation and no notice was given before detention,” the source added.
Adding to the students’ frustration is the perceived disparity in how the university has handled similar issues across different programs. While both LLB students and the Faculty of Law also faced problems related to attendance shortages, their exams were deferred, and remedial classes were arranged to help them meet attendance requirements. Unfortunately, the same support was not extended to the LLM students, who were given no such opportunity to rectify their attendance shortfall.
