Delhi High Court Orders DU to Post Monthly Attendance on Notice Board
The Delhi High Court has directed Delhi University (DU) to post the monthly attendance records of all students on the notice board, clearly outlining subject-wise lectures/practicals and the number of sessions attended by each student.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed Delhi University (DU) to post the monthly attendance records of all students on the notice board, clearly outlining subject-wise lectures/practicals and the number of sessions attended by each student. This directive comes as part of an effort to ensure better transparency and accountability in the university’s attendance system.
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Monthly Attendance Updates via Notice Board, Email, SMS, and WhatsApp
In its ruling, the court emphasized that DU must not only display attendance on the notice board but also send monthly updates via email, SMS, and WhatsApp to students. It has also instructed the university to maintain a proper record of all such notifications.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, who led the bench, pointed out that students are required to provide their mobile numbers and email addresses at the time of admission. The court stressed that in case of any changes or missing contact details, the university must ensure updates within a month.
Court Suggests Mechanism for Short Attendance Representations
The court also suggested that the Dean of the DU law faculty, in consultation with the Bar Council of India (BCI), develop a system that allows students to make representations regarding short attendance within a specified time frame. This mechanism would enable the university to review such cases and take appropriate action if the representations are found to be genuine.
Online Classes and Remote Learning Options
Justice Sharma also noted the increasing role of technology and Artificial Intelligence in education. He recommended that DU and the BCI explore the possibility of allowing students to attend classes online under certain safeguards, despite the traditional emphasis on physical attendance in professional courses like law.
Delhi HC Rules on Petitioners’ Attendance Shortage
This ruling comes in response to a batch of petitions filed by law students at DU who were denied admit cards for semester exams due to insufficient attendance. The petitioners argued that they had not been issued admit cards because their attendance was below the required 70%, and cited reasons such as mismanagement, late section allocation, teaching staff shortages, and internship opportunities as causes for their absence.
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In its defense, Delhi University stated that the petitioners did not meet the minimum attendance requirement and that attendance records were consistently posted on the notice board every month. The university further explained that any delays in conducting exams could affect subsequent semesters.
Delhi HC Dismisses Petitions on Attendance Grounds
Justice Sharma’s bench dismissed the petitions, stating that the powers under Article 226 cannot be used to grant relief in cases where students had disregarded the rules. The court made it clear that granting such relief could undermine the integrity of professional courses and disadvantage students who diligently followed academic responsibilities.
The bench concluded that interim orders in related writ petitions were provisional and did not delve into the merits of the case.
This judgment highlights the importance of maintaining attendance discipline while addressing the evolving needs of remote learning in professional education.
