Karnataka High Court quashes KSLU assessment based on previous semester marks, calls for 50-50 formula

The Karnataka High Court recently quashed the decision of the Karnataka State Law University (KSLU) to assess law students entirely on the basis of marks obtained in the previous semester. .While allowing the petitions filed by three students, Justice R Devdas of the High Court said,"Having taken a holistic approach, this Court deemed it necessary to issue such directions as found in the case of Ritvik Balanagraj. B (supra). That being the position, there was no room for the respondent University to once again deliberate upon what was directed by this Court. Since there is no ambiguity in the orders passed by this Court, it does not matter whether a student who had failed in the previous semester should be declared as pass in view of the 50-50 formula directed and adopted by this Court.".The Court added the benefit given to the said petitioners shall be given to all such KSLU students, even if they do not approach the High Court..In the case of Ritvik B v. BCI, the Karnataka High Court had quashed the decision of Bar Council of India (BCI) as well as KSLU mandating the conduct of offline exams for intermediate semester students.In the said case, the Court had said that with regard to even semesters, 50% of the marks would be based on internal assessment. The remaining 50% shall be assessed on the basis of the students' performance in the previous semesters, if available, the Court added..The Court was hearing a plea moved by three students of KSLU seeking to strike down Clause 7 of the Promotion Guidelines issued by KSLU which mandated that a candidate who secures less than 40% marks based on an aggregate percentage of total performance in the previous semester shall be considered as 'fail'..Counsel appearing for the petitioners vehemently argued that Clause 7 of the guidelines was in contravention to the orders of the High Court. This was countered by the counsel appearing for KSLU..After going through the factual matrix and the rival contentions, the Court observed that the clause in question was violation of its earlier judgment in Ritvik Balanagraj."...this Court finds that on the face of it, the guidelines especially clause 7 issued on 31.03.2021 is not in compliance with directions issued by this Court. In the order passed by this Court in the case of Ritvik Balanagraj B similar contentions regarding maintenance of minimum standard while assessing the students have been considered...".Advocates Abhishek Janardhan and Prateek Chandramouli appearing for the petitioners. Senior Advocate Ashok Haranhalli appeared for KSLU..[Read Judgment here]