How Many Students Appeared For Offline Exams Conducted For 5-Yr LLB Course? Karnataka High Court Asks KSLU

Justice Ashok S Kinagi said, "Respondent 3 is directed to file a status report about the number of students who have appeared for examination which commenced from December 15."

The direction followed during the hearing of a petition filed by one KP Prabhudev and others, seeking to quash the circular dated 01.12.2021, issued by the University to hold offline exams for the 5 year course students. Advocate M P Srikanth informed the court that most of the students had boycotted the exam and it was not correct for the University to claim that 90 percent of the students have taken the exam.

It may be noted that a coordinate bench of the high court sitting at Dharwad on December 14 had quashed the notification issued by Karnataka State Law University, by which it was to conduct offline examinations for the students of 2nd and 4th semester of 3-year LLB course.

"Majority of the students did not possess the laptop/desktop and also do not have access to internet facilities, it is implied that effective education was not imparted to the petitioners as well as majority of the students," it had observed.

The petitioner thus moved an amendment application before the court seeking the same relief.

Advocate Shridhar Prabhu, appearing for the Bar Council of India, referring to the December 14 order, submitted that the expert committee suggestions constituted by BCI and the press release issued by it mandating the examination be conducted by the University were not set aside by the coordinate bench order. Thus, the degree of the students would be recognised only if the examination is conducted in any mode.

Counsel for University contended that students have got online access and classes were conducted and now that examination has already commenced and 90 percent of the students have appeared for it, the same cannot be interfered with.

The petitioner's counsel submitted that the coordinate bench of the High Court had quashed the notifications for conducting exams and there was no distinction made between holding it for 5 years course students and not holding it for 3 years course students; it was applicable to all.

The University sought time to file its statement of objection to the amendment application filed by the petitioners who are 5 years course students. The court allowed the request and posted the matter for further hearing on Monday (December 20).

Case Title: K P Prabhudev v. State of Karnataka

Case No: WP 22736/2021

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