A group of student unrest at Delhi University’s Faculty of Law prompted the administration to grant provisional examination entry to students previously barred from appearing due to attendance shortfalls.

The decision came after allegations of administrative arbitrariness, disruption of examination proceedings, and accusations of political bias within the institution.

On Tuesday, over 150 law students were initially denied admit cards for the May-June 2024 term examinations for not meeting the university’s minimum attendance criteria.

The communication, issued just days ahead of the scheduled exams, sparked widespread outrage.

After that, the students launched protests and disrupted the examination process, causing delays in the 9:30 a.m. examination, which began only after university officials intervened and unlocked the examination centre.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), student affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, strongly contested the administration’s move. In an official statement, the ABVP alleged that nearly 300 students had been arbitrarily excluded from the exam list. It accused the Faculty of selectively applying attendance rules, citing the issuance of an admit card to Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) president Raunak Khatri—an NSUI-affiliated student—despite his alleged non-compliance with attendance requirements.

Calling the Faculty’s actions “non-academic and biased,” the ABVP demanded an explanation from the Dean and called for her resignation. The student group accused the Faculty of collusion with the NSUI and vowed to continue protests until the issue was resolved.

Responding to the escalating tensions, the Faculty of Law issued a notice later in the day stating:

“All the students who have been detained due to shortage of attendance are being provisionally allowed to appear in the LLB Term Examination May-June 2024, subject to the outcome of the Enquiry Committee.”

The communication clarified that the relief was issued “under the directions of the Competent Authority.”

While the administration’s decision has brought temporary relief to the affected students, the matter is far from settled. The provisional admit card access is contingent on the findings of an internal enquiry, preserving the possibility of disciplinary action after the examination cycle concludes.

The episode has laid bare growing tensions within the student body and sparked a broader debate about transparency in academic governance. The controversy has also fueled concerns about the politicisation of attendance enforcement and the impartiality of administrative processes at one of India’s most prestigious law faculties.