Bombay High Court Grants Relief To Mumbai Law Students Over Attendance-Based Marks Deduction

The Bombay High Court granted interim relief to two final-year law students from Government Law College, Churchgate, on Monday, preventing the deduction of internal assessment marks due to low attendance.

As reported by Hindustan Times, the students, Gargi Nandapurkar and her peer, had 30 marks deducted out of a total of 40 due to insufficient attendance. They approached the court after the college failed to address their concerns.

The University of Mumbai’s assessment system divides marks into four components: periodical tests (10 marks), term work (20 marks), class participation (5 marks), and conduct (5 marks). The college argued that the students were ineligible for any marks under these components due to Nandapurkar’s zero attendance and her peer's 9.20% attendance. The college referred to the credit-based evaluation system, which withholds marks for low attendance.

However, the court, comprising Justices AS Chandurkar and Rajesh S Patil, acknowledged that while low attendance couldn’t be overlooked, procedural lapses by the college weakened their stance. The college had failed to issue required warning letters or meet with the students and their parents, as per university protocols.

The court ruled in favour of the students, ordering the college to reassess their marks, excluding those for participation and conduct, by December 16.