The High Court of Karnataka has directed the Karnataka State Law University (KSLU) to determine the mode of examination for second and fourth semester for the three-year LLB course.
A division bench comprising Justice S G Pandit and Justice Anant Ramanath Hegde observed that the Covid-19-related relaxation shown in evaluation/examination in non-professional streams cannot be shown in technical fields like law, medicine and engineering.
The appeal was filed by KSLU challenging the order of the single-judge bench to promote the students of the second and fourth semesters without conducting any kind of examination or evaluation.
“The field of education is the most affected area during the pandemic. However, when it comes to evaluating the performance of the students studying in professional courses and when it comes to certifying the students’ eligibility to next semester, evaluation is not to be abandoned altogether. The students studying in professional courses have greater responsibility and need to possess the requisite skill required for their calling.
The relaxation shown in non-professional streams cannot be shown here especially in the technical fields like law, medicine and engineering. Furthermore, on account of the pandemic, one cannot give up maintaining standards of education,” the bench said.
University Grants Commission (UGC) had framed guidelines on examinations and academic calendar for the universities in view of the pandemic. The guidelines are subject to further advisories issued by the apex body. The Bar Council of India (BCI) being the apex body for legal education issued a press release on June 10, 2021, stating that the expert committee has recommended that the University/Centres of Legal Education concerned are given the option to determine the mode of examination/evaluation.
“A reading of the above directives of the BCI in its entirety makes it clear that the University is given a free hand to determine the mode of evaluation/examination for promotion of law students and conduct of examinations. Therefore, we are of the considered opinion that unless examination/evaluation of law student, one cannot be promoted to the next semester or could be certified for issuance of law degree,” the bench said directing the KSLU to determine the mode of examination as suggested by the BCI under its press release within 10 days.
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