Kerala High Court blocks suspended university students from taking semester exams

Court Ruling

The Kerala High Court has allowed a petition filed by Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit against permitting 16 suspended students to appear for semester examinations. The exams were set to begin on November 4, 2026. Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas and the varsity Syndicate had moved the court to set aside a single Bench order that allowed the students to write the exams.

Legal Grounds

A Division Bench of Justices Anil K. Narendran and S. Muralee Krishna held that the single Bench made an error in issuing directions without evidence from the students showing their eligibility. The court noted that the students lacked the required internal assessment marks and attendance, and had not filed an application to condone their shortage of attendance. It also stated that no court can direct a university to act against its own academic regulations.

Suspension Details

The 16 students were under suspension pending an inquiry. They faced allegations of staging a mock funeral of the vice-chancellor and attempting to damage her property.

Context

University regulations normally require strict minimum attendance and internal assessment marks before students can sit for semester exams. Academic institutions enforce disciplinary suspensions through formal inquiry procedures when students are accused of severe misconduct on campus.