Court directs MU to respond to PIL regarding attendance in law schools

Bombay High Court asks Mumbai University to respond to a PIL enforcing 75% attendance for law students, citing low attendance rates and education quality concerns.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has directed Mumbai University (MU) to respond to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that demands enforcement of a 75% attendance requirement for law students.

Court directs MU to respond to PIL regarding attendance in law schools

A division bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar reviewed an affidavit from the University Grants Commission (UGC) during a hearing on Thursday. The UGC’s affidavit emphasized that its regulations stipulate a minimum attendance threshold of 75% for students attending lectures, tutorials, seminars, and practical to qualify for examinations. Additionally, it mandates that universities must ensure a minimum of 180 actual teaching days per academic year, excluding holidays.

The PIL, initiated by Dr Sharmila Ghuge, faculty member at Jitendra Chauhan College of Law, affiliated with MU, raised concerns about the alarmingly low attendance rates, which reportedly drop to as low as 10% by the third academic year as students prioritize internships over classes. This trend, she argues, is detrimental to the standards of legal education. She said, “Actual attendance in many law colleges often fall well below this threshold, frequently between 0% to 30%. In numerous cases, not even 10% of students achieve the mandatory attendance mark.”

The PIL also criticized the prevailing practice of permitting students with zero attendance to sit for exams, arguing that this undermines the quality of legal education and jeopardizes the integrity of the legal profession. Dr Ghuge added, “This system has persisted for years, eroding the teaching and learning process and contradicting the aspirations for high-quality legal education and the future of our legal system.”

In addition to seeking a response from MU, the court has also called for a reply from the Bar Council of India, following a circular issued on September 24, 2024. This circular instructs universities to adhere to attendance norms and requires proof of compliance with the attendance regulations.