VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday criticised the GMR Institute of Technology (GMRIT) for barring a BTech student from writing his fourth-semester exams due to low attendance, despite the student’s medical condition.
The petitioner, BVK Koushik of Madhuranagari, Srikakulam district, is a BTech (AI & Data Science) student at GMRIT. He missed classes due to health issues and submitted valid medical certificates to the college. However, GMRIT denied him permission to appear for the third-semester exams, citing less than 75 per cent attendance.
Justice Gannamaneni Ramakrishna Prasad, who heard the petition, objected to the college’s refusal to release Koushik’s third-semester results. The judge termed GMRIT’s 10 per cent attendance relaxation cap “arbitrary and one-sided,” questioning its constitutional validity. The Hight Court observed that illness is beyond human control and rigid attendance norms cannot be imposed in such cases.
“These rules are framed by a private institution and not by a government authority,” the Court noted. The Hight Court directed GMRIT, the State Education Department, the Vice-Chancellor, and Controller of Examinations of JNTU to allow the student to continue and complete his B.Tech course without further hindrance.