Consider online classes for law students: HC to DU

New Delhi : The Delhi High Court has asked the DU and Bar Council of India to consider evolving a mechanism with appropriate safeguards and conditions for online classes for students pursuing the law course in the university. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma acknowledged that physical attendance carried a distinct value in professional courses but said that the continuous development in technology and artificial intelligence was an opportunity to evolve “effective remote learning mechanisms”. The court made the observations while dismissing a batch of petitions by law students against Delhi University’s decision to not allow them to sit in their respective semester examination due to shortage of attendance.

The court refused to interfere on the ground that no relaxation in the aggregate attendance requirement could be granted under writ jurisdiction but nudged the authorities to adopt technological advancements for virtual classes. “The University of Delhi and the Bar Council of India may also evolve a mechanism to enable the students to attend classes online with the appropriate safeguards and conditions. “The court is conscious of the fact that in professional courses, physical attendance carries distinct values.

However, the continuous development of the technology and Artificial Intelligence presents an opportunity to the experts to evolve effective remote learning mechanisms,” said the court in a judgement passed on February 11. The court stated that its observation was based on the premises that at the time of admission, mobile numbers and e-mail IDs were furnished by students or steps could also be taken to update the same if not provided. It also emphasised that there should be strict adherence with the practice of notifying the attendance of each student for each month along with the lectures/practicals held subject-wise.