Gauhati High Court disposes Law students’ PIL against Assam University Silchar

The All Assam Law Students’ Association (AALSA) had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against Assam University, Silchar in the Gauhati High Court (PIL/54/2021) for an ‘improper decision’ taken by the University authority for the semester examination of the three-year law course. The advocate of the petitioner is BK Das.

The petition was filed by the Vice-president (in-charge) of the central committee, Aurobindo Baroi, on behalf of AALSA, along with 28 others under the supervision of All Assam Law Students Association President (in-charge) Gayatri Tamuli and General Secretary Anurag Gogoi, as well as Chief Advisor Dhurbajyoti Sharma and supported by the students of AK Chanda Law College, Karimganj Law College and Diphu Law College. The petition was based on two provisions – first, the exam should be conducted in the given stipulated time as other universities have also conducted their examinations and second, the examination should be conducted in online mode or it should be assignment based.

The grievance of the petitioner is that though Assam University, Silchar, had allowed examination, it was restricted only to the students who are pursuing LLB courses within the university premises and not to any other colleges outside the University campus, though affiliated to the Assam University, Silchar. Afterwards, Assam University submitted a notification on September 23 before the court that it would conduct an assignment-based examination for the LLB course of all the colleges affiliated with the University.

“In this regard, Ms. Hazarika learned counsel appearing for the Assam University has submitted that now a notification has been issued by the Assam University for allowing necessary evaluation/examination for promotion to next semesters, which is applicable to all colleges affiliated to the Assam University and not confined to in-campus students at Silchar, regarding which Ms. Hazarika has submitted a copy of the notification dated 17.09.2021, copy of which has already been given to the learned counsel for the petitioner, who on perusal of the said notification submits that the grievance of the petitioner has been met”, said the court order headed by Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice Manish Choudhury.

The judges then observed that in view of the above, they have closed this PIL with the expectation that the respondent authorities will do the needful in terms of the said notification. The court then declared the PIL as disposed of.