Lok Adalat rules in favour of LLM student debarred from appearing in exam due to attendance shortage

The interim order was passed in Application of Abhishek Malhotra vs Amity University, Mohali by the Permanent Lok Adalat, Mohali.

Permanent Lok Adalat, Mohali, Amity University, LLM student, Abhishek Malhotra, attendance shortage,

According to the petition, the student was admitted to the LLM programme on October 13 though classes had commenced in August. (File photo)

In a major interim relief to a law student, the Permanent Lok Adalat (Public Utility Services), Mohali, has directed Amity University, Mohali, to not debar an LLM student from appearing in examinations on the sole ground of shortage of attendance and to issue a fresh admit card without delay.

The directions were passed on a petition filed by LLM student Abhishek Malhotra, who had been barred from appearing in two first-semester papers Intellectual Property Law and Practice and Insolvency and Bankruptcy. The court ordered the university to allow him to appear in the examinations scheduled for December 19 and December 26, respectively.

The interim order was passed in Application of Abhishek Malhotra vs Amity University, Mohali by the Permanent Lok Adalat, Mohali.

According to the petition, the student was admitted to the LLM programme on October 13 though classes had commenced in August. He stated that he paid the first-semester fee along with Rs 20,000 as refundable security and was assured by the admission team that attendance prior to his admission would be condoned. Despite this, the university later debarred him citing failure to meet the mandatory 75 per cent attendance norm.

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Observing that the university admitted the student “knowing fully well that the attendance criteria could not be met”, the Lok Adalat held that the institution could not benefit from its own lapse and penalise the student thereafter.

Relying on a Delhi High Court judgment, the Lok Adalat quoted “a student cannot be barred from appearing in examinations solely due to shortage of attendance”.

The petitioner has also sought Rs 1 lakh as compensation for mental stress and loss of crucial academic time. Notice has been issued to the university for the next hearing on December 23, 2025.