Chennai, June 18:
The Madras High Court has ruled that artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and online learning platforms cannot substitute classroom education in law courses, stressing the importance of in-person teaching.
A division bench comprising Justices S.M. Subramaniam and N. Senthilkumar set aside a single judge’s order that had granted relief to students who failed to meet mandatory attendance requirements.
The court observed that AI tools can never be equated with qualified teachers, particularly in professional courses like law. It emphasised that values such as integrity, ethics, and morality—core to the legal profession—can only be effectively imparted in a classroom environment.
The मामला arose from appeals filed by officials of Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University, including the Registrar, Dean of the School of Excellence in Law, and Controller of Examinations. They challenged an earlier order that allowed certain students with insufficient attendance to appear for end-semester examinations.
Reinforcing the importance of discipline and structured learning, the High Court upheld attendance norms and underscored that technological tools cannot replace the holistic experience of classroom education.