The Crisis: Why We Need Change Now Every year, thousands of bright B.Tech students in Noida face a draconian nightmare: being debarred from examinations simply because they fell short of an arbitrary attendance threshold (often 75%). This rigid "seat-time" policy ignores genuine health issues, family emergencies, and the practical reality of engineering education. Worse, it is a primary driver of student stress, anxiety, and in tragic cases, self-harm.

We are not asking for a free pass. We are asking for a humane system that values mental health over mechanical compliance.

The Legal Breakthrough: The Sushant Rohilla Judgment On November 3, 2025, the Hon'ble Delhi High Court delivered a historic judgment in the case Courts on its Own Motion in Re: Suicide Committed by Sushant Rohilla (W.P.(CRL) 793/2017).

This case, born from the tragic suicide of a student detained for low attendance, has set a new legal and moral standard for higher education in India. The Court ruled that:

Detention is "Extreme": Barring a student from exams is a disproportionate punishment that causes "debilitating impact" and severe mental trauma.
Violates Right to Life: Mental health is integral to the Right to Life (Article 21). Rigid rules that push students to the brink are unconstitutional.
Contrary to NEP 2020: The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 prioritizes flexibility, holistic learning, and blended education. Rigid physical attendance mandates violate this spirit.
Why This Applies to B.Tech Students While the judgment was directed at legal education, its logic is universal and applies even more strongly to engineering:

B.Tech is Practical: Engineering is about building, coding, and innovating. A student working on a hackathon project, a research paper, or an internship is often learning more than they would in a theory lecture. The High Court specifically noted that "learning is a dynamic process" that happens outside classrooms too.
NEP 2020 applies to All: The AICTE and engineering colleges are bound by the same National Education Policy that the Court used to strike down rigid attendance rules in law.
Our Demands We, the undersigned students and concerned citizens, demand that B.Tech colleges in Noida immediately adopt the 3-Point Reform Framework established by the Delhi High Court:

1. ABOLISH THE "DETENTION" POLICY

The Demand: No student should be debarred from appearing in End-Semester Examinations solely due to a shortage of attendance.
The Solution: As directed by the High Court, replace detention with a grade reduction penalty. For example, a student with low attendance may face a maximum reduction of 5% in marks or 0.33 in CGPA, but they must be allowed to write the exam and save their academic year.

2. HUMANE ALTERNATIVES FOR ATTENDANCE SHORTAGE

The Demand: Colleges must provide "ameliorative measures" during the semester instead of punishment at the end.
The Solution: Allow students to make up for missed attendance through:

Extra home assignments or research projects.
Attending remedial/extra classes.
Giving credit for internships and practical skill-building work.

3. REFORM GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL COMMITTEES (GRCs)

The Demand: Current grievance cells are opaque and lack student trust.
The Solution: Constitute GRCs strictly as per the High Court's new guidelines:

50% Student Representation: Students must make up half the committee members (not just be "special invitees") to ensure fair hearings.
Mental Health Support: Every GRC must have mandatory access to professional counselors and therapists to assess if a student’s attendance shortage was due to mental health struggles.
Conclusion The Delhi High Court has spoken: "The mandatory physical attendance norms deserve to be modified."

It is time for engineering colleges in Noida to listen. We cannot wait for another tragedy to realize that our system is broken. We urge the authorities to align B.Tech regulations with the progressive, student-centric vision of the Sushant Rohilla judgment and the NEP 2020.

Sign this petition to demand a #NoDetentionPolicy and #MentalHealthFirst in our colleges.

Media Attention

Link to the ​Full Judgment/News Article regarding W.P.(CRL) 793/2017