Delhi HC issues notice in plea against BCI, Law Faculty decision to conduct previous-semester examination for promoted students

The Delhi High Court has issued notice in a petition challenging Faculty of Law, Delhi University's decision to conduct end-semester examination for the previous semester for students promoted to second and third year. (Sahib Kochhar vs Faculty of Law) .This belated end-semester examination is proposed to be held after the three centres re-open. .The petition also challenges a press release issued by the Bar Council of India directing law colleges to conduct belated final-examination for intermediate semester law students when the colleges reopen..Notice to Faculty of Law, Delhi University, Bar Council of India and University Grants Commission was issued by a single Judge Bench of Justice Jayant Nath. .The Petitioners before the Court are final year law students who claim that the after being promoted to the next semester, asking students to sit for the end-semester examination of the previous semester is contrary to the UGC notification..It is stated that the as per the UGC guidelines issued in April and June 2020, intermediate students were to be evaluated on the basis of internal assessments and past performance..Therefore, the decision taken by the Faculty of Law to conduct examination for semesters for which students have been promoted is unjust, unfair, discriminatory and prejudicial to the interests of the students, the Petitioners have argued. .Petitioners (are put) on an unequal footing as only the intermediate semester law students belonging to the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi are asked to appear for the examinations, once the college reopens, while exempting all other similarly placed students studying in Delhi University from giving the exam.the petitioners have asserted. .The Petitioners have pointed out that considering the previous semester exams and the current semester exams and other backlogs, a student would be subjected to undue hardship. .It is also feared that due to the pandemic, colleges in Delhi might not even open any time soon, thus, jeopardizing future career prospects of the students. .The Petitioners further relied on an independent survey involving 215 intermediate-semester students of Faculty of Law to state that 97% opposed the idea of conducting examinations when the college reopens. .Instead, the students suggested that alternative methods of evaluation in the form of internal assessments and online open book examination be conducted. .The matter would be heard next on December 14. .Advocate Shrey Sharma appeared for the Petitioners. .Read the Order: