'Detained for Low Attendance, AMU is Hurting Law Students' Career Prospects'

'On 18 April, AMU detained 81 law students over attendance shortage.'

81 of 124 final-year law students at Aligarh Muslim University have been allegedly detained without notice for attendance shortage.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Over the past weekend, I, along with 80 other students in the final year of the Faculty of Law at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), was detained for low attendance.

For all of us, this move is shocking because we had no clue how suddenly, without any intimation, the AMU administration decided to withhold the results for the odd semester of the 2025-26 academic year.

Like the previous years, the 2025-26 session saw all examinations and assignments duly conducted. But no attendance records were made public as is the usual practice by the administration.

We passed out from the 9th semester—and were promoted to the even 10th semester. Yet, the result of the 9th semester was pending for almost four months. During this time, students continued to attend classes, appear for internal examinations, submit assignments, and complete mandatory internships. Everything was going on smoothly until 18 April when we found out that the 81 final-year students of the 124 have been detained for low attendance.

'Protest Seemed the Only Resort'

We approached the Dean and other faculty members, but we weren't given a clear explanation.

We then exercised our right to peaceful protest, and gathered within the faculty premises. But we were met with the brute force of armed personnel, with several students subjected to physical aggression and harassment.

What should have been a safe academic environment turned into a space of fear and intimidation. Students were left stranded within the faculty premises until late at night, without any assurance, communication, or support from the administration.

To date, no constructive or affirming statement regarding the non-detention of the faculty students has been issued by the administration.

Violation Of Delhi High Court Ruling

This is a blatant violation of the judgment of the Delhi High Court dated 3 November 2025. The order in the Sushant Rohilla suicide case had mandated structural reforms, including weekly attendance updates, informing parents or guardians, extra classes for low-attendance students, better grievance redressal, and mental health support.

None of these was followed by the AMU administration. Neither was our attendance displayed, nor were any remedial classes conducted.

At this moment in our education, detention gravely jeopardises our career prospects. The already delayed result declaration has placed students at risk of missing the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), with the last date for application being 30 April, and the examination scheduled for 7 June.

We could also face disqualification from multiple state judicial services examinations, which mandate completion of the law degree within five years. The forced prolongation of the course further damages our prospects in job placements and interviews.

There are numerous individual stakes involved. A student from the batch has received a call from Oxford University, while another has successfully cleared the CLAT PG Examination and secured admission at the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru. Both opportunities now stand threatened.

Another student has qualified for the written stage of the Supreme Court Law Clerk Examination, with detention jeopardising the interview stage. Additionally, several students have secured PPOs from reputed law firms, which now risk cancellation.

We urge the administration to understand the sensitivity of the situation. We have worked tirelessly toward building our future. An arbitrary detention could destroy our efforts.

(The Quint has reached out to the Public Relations Office [PRO] at AMU on the issues raised by the student. Their response is awaited. The story will be updated as and when they respond.)

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