Summary of this article
Nearly two-thirds of final-year law students barred from exams
Action comes months after delayed results, raising due process concerns.
Students fear missing the Bar Examination and losing job offers
Protests broke out at Aligarh Muslim University on Saturday after 81 out of 124 final-year law students were detained over alleged attendance shortages, effectively barring them from appearing in their final semester examinations.
Students claimed that no official attendance records were shared with them during the academic session, raising concerns over transparency and due process.
The results for the odd semester of the 2025–26 academic year were declared on April 18, nearly four months after the examinations. Alongside the results, the administration released a list of detained students, including 25 students reportedly held back due to attendance shortages in a single course.
“We attended classes, wrote internal exams, submitted assignments and even completed mandatory internships, but the results came after months with no clarity on attendance and suddenly 81 of us have been detained,” a final-year student said, requesting anonymity.
Students said they approached the Dean and Faculty Chairman immediately after the list was released, but alleged that no meaningful dialogue took place.
“As soon as the list came out, we went to the dean’s office, but there was reluctance to engage. We were left with no option but to protest peacefully,” another student said.
“We remained inside the faculty premises till late at night without any assurance from the administration. There is no clarity on whether these detentions will be revoked,” one of them added.
Students further alleged that attendance was neither displayed periodically nor maintained in a consistent manner. “There were no weekly or monthly records, either online or on notice boards,” a student claimed.
“There were multiple instances when teachers themselves were absent, which directly impacted us, yet the burden is being placed entirely on students,” he said.
In a joint press statement, students cited a Delhi High Court order, which stated that students should not be barred from examinations solely on the basis of attendance shortages and called for greater transparency in attendance tracking. They argued that these guidelines were not followed during the session.
“Owing to the fact that none of the guidelines were implemented, we are demanding that attendance criteria should not be applied retrospectively,” the statement said.
The stakes are particularly high as the affected students are in their final semester.
“Detention at this stage can derail careers. We are about to graduate, apply for jobs, and sit for professional exams,” the statement said.
Several students pointed to the potential fallout as some have secured postgraduate admissions, including at international universities, while others have cleared competitive exams or received pre-placement offers from law firms.
The delay in results has further compounded concerns. Students noted that the deadline to apply for the All India Bar Examination is April 30, raising fears that many may miss the opportunity to register. Others warned of broader consequences, including missing eligibility for judicial service examinations and losing job offers.
The university administration has not yet issued a detailed response to the allegations.
