Srinagar, Nov 13, KDC: A controversy has erupted at the University of Kashmir’s School of Law after eleven BA LLB first-semester students were allegedly thrown out of the examination hall over attendance shortage — an action students say violates Bar Council of India (BCI) norms and exposes deeper irregularities in the department’s academic conduct.
According to students, those removed had already been permitted to appear in the first paper without any objection. However, during the second paper, police were called in, and the eleven students were forcibly taken out of the hall. Several alleged that they were “manhandled and treated as if we were criminals.”
“Just because we were short on attendance, the Department humiliated us in front of everyone. We had paid our examination fees like every other student — so what’s the point of collecting fees if we’re not even allowed to sit in the exam?” one of the affected students told Kashmir Dot Com.
The incident has sparked outrage among students, who have accused the department of violating the Bar Council of India (BCI) Legal Education Rules, 2008. They allege that the department enforced attendance restrictions without completing the minimum teaching schedule mandated under national norms — 18 weeks of teaching per semester and at least 30 class hours per week, including lectures, tutorials, and practical sessions.
Students claimed that the attendance cannot be enforced unless the institution itself fulfills these statutory requirements. They said calculating attendance before the completion of the full academic schedule contradicts the spirit of BCI rules.
The controversy surfaced when several first-semester students were stopped from taking their examinations after being allowed to appear in earlier papers. “We are not asking for concessions; we are asking for the university to follow the rules it is bound by,” one student said.
Students said they have also submitted multiple representations to the Head of the Department, urging that the semester be extended to compensate for the shortfall in teaching weeks. However, they claim that the department has not responded to their pleas so far.
Despite repeated attempts, Dean, School of Law, Dr. Shahnaz, could not be reached for comments as she did not respond to repeated calls regarding the matter.
The version from the Law Department will be updated as and when it becomes available. (KDC)
I was on the shortage list, yet we were allowed to sit in the first paper in the main campus. For the second paper, since I had changed my centre preference, my exam was to be held in North Campus. However, I was not allowed to appear, as they said they had received a shortage list from my department. When I contacted the examination department, they said allowing us in the first paper was a “mistake.” This is unfair and shows clear administrative negligence. I request the authorities to kindly look into this matter.