‘Education no longer restricted to classrooms’: Delhi HC seeks reconsideration of mandatory attendance in UG, PG courses

In its order on August 21, the court of Justices Prathiba Singh and Amit Sharma expressed its intent to form a committee to study various factors that require consideration so that a report outlining “certain uniform practices can be evolved for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in respect of attendance requirements.” Suggesting that the issue be addressed at a much higher level instead of looking at it from a course or college level, the High Court issued notice to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), National Medical Commission (NMC), and the Secretary of the Education Department of the Union government.

“Attendance may have to be positively encouraged rather than shortage being penalised by debarring from exams,” said the HC.

The bench took into account factors such as generational differences where “education is no longer restricted to classroom teaching or textbook education”, the mental health of students, and unique situations.

“There is an imminent need, therefore, to have reconsideration of norms of attendance in general, whether it ought to be made mandatory at all or what should be the minimum required standards of attendance or should attendance be encouraged rather than penalties being imposed for lack of attendance,” said the HC.

The remarks came over a suo motu litigation that the HC had taken up in 2017 after the brother of a woman, who died by suicide at Amity Law School in Delhi, wrote to the then Chief Justice of India, alleging that she took the step after facing harassment by the institution and some of the faculty members over low attendance.

“In the opinion of this Court, teachers and students need to be consulted in order to consider what should be the standards of attendance. Wider consultation would also be required to be undertaken to have a relook at the need to have mandatory attendance … Factors have to be considered in order for education to be made more meaningful in the modern world,” the HC observed.

The court has kept the matter next for September 9.