Third-year law students staged a demonstration at Chanakya National Law University on Wednesday over poor results in internal examinations.

Sources in the university said 36 sixth-semester (third year) students have failed labour law and other papers in internal exams, set and evaluated by the teachers concerned. The students have claimed more than 30 of them would face a year's backlog - repeat a year - because of failing one paper when they have secured good marks in the other papers.

Rishav, one of the third-year students, said: "Many students are likely to get a year's backlog because of poor marks in labour law. These students will waste one year and be forced to clear the five-year LLB course in six years."

The university sources, however, said only six students will have a year's backlog and the remaining 30 will be promoted to the next semester in which they can clear the labour law paper. The administration also claimed the demonstration was an unfortunate incident, the handiwork of students who want to disturb the academic atmosphere.

Registrar S.P. Singh said: "Only a few students will get a year's backlog while the others will be promoted. The students who will be promoted will have to write the labour law paper along with other papers in their seventh semester."

Those who have to repeat a year have failed in more than two papers, the university said, denying the students' allegation that the extra year will bring financial burden on them.

Registrar Singh said: "The students who will have a backlog will have to pay extra Rs 1,000 only."

The students, who demonstrated in front of the university office on Wednesday morning, said labour law teacher J.C. Rai had intentionally failed the students. The security guards closed the main gate and did not allow any outsider from entering the campus.