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Grants One-Time Exam Relief to All Law Students With
The has ruled that the 's for law students facing during the academic year 2025-26 applies to every student barred from semester-end exams—not just those in their final year. The division bench of Justice R.I. Chagla and Justice Farhan P. Dubash directed the and to conduct within four weeks for eligible students who missed their exams due to insufficient attendance.
The Dispute: 41 Students, Attendance Between 46% and 54%
Around 41 students pursuing the three-year and five-year law courses at , Pune, were prevented from appearing for their semester-end examinations in 2025-26. Their attendance ranged from 46% to 54.37%, falling short of the required minimum. Although they had submitted examination forms and paid fees, their admit cards were withheld. The college, citing and of the University, refused to condone the shortage.
The Legal Backdrop: From to
The controversy traces back to a judgment dated in , which directed that no law student should be detained for attendance shortage pending a review by the . The stayed that direction on , but on , it granted a to students whose academic session was ongoing when the rendered its judgment. The apex court clarified that these students could not be barred from appearing in the final exams of that academic session and allowed supplementary exams if needed.
Petitioners' Arguments: Broad Application of the SC Order
The students argued that the
's order was not limited to final-year students. They contended that the phrase
"final examinations for the said academic session"
referred to the exams concluding each academic session, irrespective of the year of study. They also stressed that a student in an earlier year would similarly lose an entire academic session if barred, and thus the one-time benefit should extend to all semesters.
College's Stand: Relief Only for Final-Year Students
countered that the 's protection was meant only for students who faced the imminent loss of completing their entire law course. The college also asserted that students in Maharashtra could not claim a in the judgment, since the had earlier taken contrary views in cases like and . Moreover, the college argued that the relief was not available to students who had not independently approached a court.
Court's Interpretation: 'Final Examination' Means Concluding Exam of the Academic Session
The bench rejected the college's narrow reading. It held that the term "final examination" in the 's order describes the examination that concludes a particular academic session, not the terminal year of the law course. The court observed:
"The expression 'final examination' describes the examination concluding the concerned academic session; it does not describe the terminal year or terminal semester of the student's entire law course."
The court also noted that the repeatedly connected the examination to the "said academic session" and provided for supplementary exams "for this session only." Any year-wise or semester-wise restriction would be an addition the never imposed.
No Individual Proof of Reliance Needed
Dismissing the college's contention that each student must show they personally relied on the judgment, the court said the had set objective criteria: the student's academic session was ongoing on , and the student was facing detention due to attendance shortage. No further subjective test was prescribed.
The court also rejected the argument that Maharashtra students could not claim a . It noted that the was aware of six High Courts taking contrary views yet still extended the protection without carving out territorial exceptions.
Relief to All Similarly Situated Students
The court clarified that the benefit extends to all students of the college who were barred solely due to attendance shortage, even if they did not approach the court. However, students whose proceedings had already been finally concluded before were excluded, with their remedies left open.
Directives: Supplementary Exams Within Four Weeks
For students who had already appeared under , the court confirmed their results and academic progression. For those who could not appear, the University and the college were directed to conduct supplementary exams within four weeks of the judgment's upload. Upon passing, these students would be eligible for admission to the 2026-27 academic year.
Attendance Rules Remain Intact for Future
The court emphasised that this is a strictly one-time measure confined to the 2025-26 session. It does not dilute or for any other academic year. The larger question of whether the 20% under applies to the 70% rule or the 75% requirement was left open for an appropriate case.
Key Observations
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"The controlling words are those which connect the examination to the particular academic session which was ongoing on ."
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"If the Hon'ble intended to protect only students in the final year or final semester of the law course, it could readily have said so."
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"This Court cannot add to or subtract from the class of beneficiaries expressly identified by the ."
The bench disposed of all petitions and refused the college's request for a stay, ensuring the students can proceed with their academic journeys without further delay.
