Can a law college keep a student out of the exam hall over low attendance? The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on appeals against a Delhi High Court ruling that removed mandatory attendance for law students as a bar to sitting exams.
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New Delhi: Judgment is now awaited in the Supreme Court’s hearing of appeals against a November 2025 Delhi High Court ruling that barred law colleges from stopping students with low attendance from taking examinations or progressing academically. The Court reserved its verdict on Tuesday [Bar Council of India v. Union of India].
The appeals were heard by a Bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Augustine George Masih.
Where the matter stands
The Court has not pronounced its decision, and no date for judgment has been given.
The ruling under challenge
No student enrolled in a recognised law college or university, the Delhi High Court had held, could be detained from appearing in examinations or progressing academically solely because of insufficient attendance. It reached that view in a suo motu PIL taken up after the 2017 death of a law student at Amity Law School, who had allegedly been harassed over low attendance.
The Bar Council of India and NMIMS are the appellants. Their contention is that removing attendance mandates undermines academic rigour and the independence of institutions, and that the ruling has triggered numerous suits by students across institutions. Advocate Radhika Gautam appeared for the Bar Council of India, and Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi with Advocate Kanu Agrawal appeared for NMIMS.
What turns on the verdict
The eventual ruling will settle whether colleges and the Bar Council of India can continue to enforce minimum attendance as a condition for appearing in law examinations.
Case Title: Bar Council of India v. Union of India
Bench: Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Augustine George Masih, Supreme Court of India
Date of Hearing: October 6, 2026 (judgment reserved)
Appearances: Radhika Gautam for the Bar Council of India; Mukul Rohatgi and Kanu Agrawal for NMIMS.
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