Law Student Moves Bombay High Court After Professor Tears His Answer Script For Demanding Extra Supplementary Sheets

A law student recently petitioned the Bombay High Court after his answer sheet was torn by a professor as he demanded extra supplements for writing his exams.

A division bench of Justices Atul Chandurkar and Rajesh Patil issued notice to the DY Patil Law College at Pimpri.

The bench also ordered the authorities to preserve the CCTV footages of the exam hall and also of the principal's cabin, where the incident of tearing of the answer sheet took place.

"Issue notice to the respondents, made returnable on July 18. There shall be an interim relief in terms of prayer clause F in the petition (for preserving CCTV footages)," the bench said in its order.

The bench issued notice on the petition filed by one Gaurav Kakade, a fourth year law student of DY Patil Law College.

In his petition through Advocate Sanket Bora, the student pointed out that he has been a meritorious student from the very first year of his five year law course. He stated that just before his 8th semester exams, he had sent a request to the College Principal through email, for providing additional supplements for writing his answers since the 36-page answersheet is not sufficient for him.

On June 11, when the petitioner appeared for his Practical Training Paper (II) Alternate Dispute Resolution, a professor of the college was the supervisor, who, the petitioner alleged was in an inebriated condition.

The petition further states that the professor did not distribute the question papers, as mandated, i.e. 10 minutes prior to the exams. However, when the students raised the issue, he assured them of giving extra time. When the petitioner, completed his paper and went to the professor for submitting the same, the professor, allegedly tore his answer sheets and taunted him for mailing a request to the college principal for extra supplements.

Soon after the incident, the petitioner claimed that he went to the principal and brought to her notice the incident and she assured him of action. However, later the Chief Examination Officer as well as the College Principal insisted the petitioner to sign an undertaking that he had resorted to "unfair means" while writing his paper. He however, refused to submit such an undertaken.

Later, the petitioner claimed that the principal agreed to his request to write his answers on a new sheet. But again, when a new answer sheet was provided to him, he was only allowed to enter his name and other details but wasn't permitted to write answers. He then filed complaints with various authorities highlighting the issue and how the same may affect his career.

Subsequently, the Students Grievance Redressal Committee headed by the College principal, issued a notice to the petitioner and heard his issue. It then, the petition states, submitted a report against the petitioner. This report, the petitioner contended reeked of abundant bias against him. He alleged that the report was inappropriate and also inadequate. It therefore, sought directions to the College authorities to set aside and quash the report of the Students Grievance Redressal Committee. It also sought appropriate order to the authorities for providing a fair opportunity to submit his answersheet.

Appearances: 

Sanket Bora with Ms. Vidhi Punmiya, Ms. Amiya Rajan Das and Ms. Unnatti Thakkar, i/by SPCM Legal, for the Petitioner.

Ms. Kavita N. Solunke, Assistant Government Pleader for the Respondent State of Maharashtra.