Karnataka HC allows two NMIMS Law students facing attendance shortage to appear for semester exam

The Karnataka High Court on Friday granted interim relief to two law students of Bengaluru's SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) who had been disqualified from writing exams by citing attendance shortage.

Justice Ashok S Kinagi permitted them to appear for their fourth year BBA LLB (Hons) semester VIII examinations scheduled to commence on July 6.

However, the Court clarified that such relief would be subject to the final outcome in the case filed by them before the High Court.

"The respondents are directed to permit the petitioner to appear for the ensuing examination scheduled to be held in July 2026. The appearance of the petitioner for the said examination shall be subject to the outcome of the writ petition," the Court said.

As a condition for the interim relief, the Court also directed the petitioners to file an undertaking stating that if their petitions are ultimately dismissed, they would not claim any equity merely because they had been permitted to appear for the examination.

The students moved the Court challenging their disqualification from writing the exam, as well as attendance norms prescribed by the Bar Council of India (BCI).

The Court yesterday sought the response of NMIMS as well as BCI in the matter.

Advocate Anubha Srivastava accepted notice on behalf of the BCI. High Court Government Pleader Rashmi Rao accepted notice for the State of Karnataka.

The students questioned the BCI's mandatory attendance norms and the university's decision to enforce them.

They contended that Rule 12 of the Bar Council of India Legal Education Rules, 2008 should be declared ultra vires the Advocates Act, 1961, unconstitutional, arbitrary and violative of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.

The petitioners further urged the Court to quash their university's communications dated April 28, April 29 and June 15 by which the students were disqualified from appearing in the VIII semester examinations and subsequent re-examinations.

They also sought directions to the university to allow them to appear for the VIII semester examination, beginning on July 6, and to declare their results, subject to any conditions imposed by the Court.

In its interim order, the Court on Friday granted them this relief.

The petitioners were represented by advocate Chintan Chinnappa assisted by advocates Venkatesh Kamath and Vybhav Nair of Spectrum Legal.