The Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) has the unique distinction of offering its one-year LLM course for one student from Monday onwards.
The decision to enrol Lakshmi Jayakumar, who had applied under the quota for the differently abled, as a special case for the one-year LLM course under the varsity’s School of Indian Legal Thought was taken on the basis of an order issued by the Kerala High Court in March. The authorities had no other option but to offer the programme for the aspirant as it had decided to drop the one-year LLM course and replace it with a two-year programme from October onwards.
The aspirant could not be admitted to the last batch of the one-year programme on the basis of the court directive as the academic sessions were coming to a close by September 30. The classes for the last batch of the one-year LLM programme had started in December last.
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The student had approached the court stating that she could not get admission in the one-year LLM course despite clearing the entrance examination as the varsity authorities had not provided her grace marks on account of her eligibility under the physical disability quota from the seventh semester of her B.A LL.B course in 2019.
The petitioner had pointed out that she had been given grace marks up to her sixth semester. However, the varsity authorities had said that the candidate had not been awarded grace marks as she had failed to produce the latest medical certificate issued by the government’s medical board specifying the permanent nature of disability.
The court had pointed out that it was not stated that the validity of the certificate was for a specified period and asked the university to consider admitting her for the one-year LLM course. The student had also filed a contempt petition alleging that the university had failed to comply with the order.
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Senior faculty members at the School of Indian Legal Thought said the first semester classes for the student would be over by the second week of January.