In November, the Delhi High Court ruled that no law student can be barred from exams due to insufficient attendance. This decision has ignited debate on academic rigour and classroom teaching in higher education. Critics argue it undermines the essential role of physical classes.
Three troubling trends are evident in Indian universities today. First, academic rigour and schedules in higher educational institutions (HEIs) are increasingly viewed as sources of stress for students. Second, minimum discipline in HEIs is seen as antithetical to student creativity. Third, requiring a minimum number of class attendances is considered stressful.
In November, the Delhi High Court ruled that no law student in the country should be barred from taking examinations due to insufficient attendance. This verdict removes obligations to attend classes.
John Henry Newman's 19th-century classic, The Idea of a University, describes a university as a transformative space where knowledge, freedom, and purpose combine to create enlightened individuals who can guide the transition to a just society. However, universities today have drifted from their core mandate, with faculty called upon by the state and regulators to play untrained roles such as policing students. This leads to the bureaucratisation of universities, as noted in Peter Fleming’s Dark Academia: How Universities Die.
The social milieu exerts pressure on students, and academic environments often exacerbate mental health issues. Universities become easy scapegoats for student stress, despite lacking specialised arrangements. Regulators expect ambitious curricula, necessitating continued classes, assignments, and effective evaluation systems for academic rigour.
For various reasons, some students struggle to cope with this schedule. AI poses a challenge to teaching but cannot provide the personalised attention of an empathetic teacher. The online mode is especially insufficient for highly technical subjects like law. The High Court ruling will encourage the online mode, potentially harming academic rigour.
The writer, G S Bajpai, is vice chancellor of National Law University Delhi. Views are personal.
