The Madras High Court has ruled that AI tools like ChatGPT cannot be equated with qualified teachers. A Division Bench stressed that lessons on integrity and morality must come from classroom settings. The decision came while overturning a single judge's order on student attendance.
A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and N. Senthilkumar made the observations on 18 June 2026. They set aside an order that had allowed three government law college students without the required 65% attendance to write examinations after special summer classes. The Bench allowed writ appeals filed by the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University.
The judges stated that AI may approach human intelligence but cannot teach integrity and morality. They noted such lessons require a vibrant classroom. The ruling added that legal education connects students to legal and human rights and demands collective voices in class.
The Bench observed that online classes offer learning only when needed but cannot substitute physical classrooms permanently. Regular attendance builds self-discipline, punctuality and positive social behaviours, they said. The court emphasised fairness to students who meet attendance rules through merit.
