OP Jindal Global University (JGU) has issued a statement defending its academic policies after facing a legal challenge from an LLM student, Kaustubh Shakkarwar. The student, specialising in ‘Intellectual Property and Technology Law,’ filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, contesting the university's decision to accuse him of submitting Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated content in his end-term examination.
Shakkarwar argued that there was no explicit rule against using AI-generated content and that the university must prove any copyright violation.
In its response, JGU criticized Shakkarwar for making "factually incorrect, misleading, and prejudiced statements" on social media, claiming they aimed to influence public opinion and decision-making. The university emphasized that the issue concerns academic honesty and integrity, particularly regarding unethical practices in the examination process.
The legal dispute also questions the university's legitimacy under the Haryana Universities Act 2006. Shakkarwar contends that JGU is not a recognized institution under the Act. However, JGU defended its status, noting that it is the first and only university in Haryana to be designated as an Institution of Eminence (IoE), a recognition it described as historic and significant.
The controversy began in May 2023 when Shakkarwar submitted an exam paper for the course "Law and Justice in a Globalizing World," which was flagged by JGU for containing 88% AI-generated content. This violated the university’s Anti-Plagiarism Regulations, which are aligned with the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. As a result, Shakkarwar was accused of misconduct, leading to his failure in the exam. However, the university later allowed him a re-sit opportunity, which he passed.
Despite this, Shakkarwar filed a lawsuit challenging the university's policies and the legality of its rules regarding AI use in academic submissions. JGU indicated that it would also report the student's professional misconduct to relevant regulatory authorities.