The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Jawaharlal Nehra University to not impose coercive measures to ensure mandatory attendance while the matter is being heard in court.

The court was hearing a writ petition filed by the varsity’s School of Arts and Aesthetics dean Kavita Singh and four others against the attendance policy, Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association said.

The university management had issued a circular in December 2017, saying it was planning to make 75% attendance for all courses compulsory. Students and teachers had then called it an “unnecessary and arbitrary” move. The varsity set up an inquiry committee against department heads who had complained to the administration against the rule. In March, it removed seven of them as well as a coordinator. The following month, the Delhi High Court reinstated a dean and four other department heads.

According to the university’s rules, “all research students are to sign an attendance register daily whether or not they live on campus and regardless of the nature of their research work”, the teachers’ association said in a statement. “The university said that students who did not comply with the new rules would be debarred from taking examinations, availing fellowships and scholarships, retaining seats in hostels or having access to medical facilities.”

However, these measures will now be held in abeyance till the matter is decided.

The court has posted the matter for hearing on October 29.