JOIN USWith semester-end exams about to start in Delhi University in a few days, students are panicking about meeting the minimum attendance level or being detained.
The vice chancellor assured the members of Delhi University Students’ Union, who met him on Sunday, to give ‘moderate concession’ to students who could not meet the required 67 per cent attendance per semester. “The VC has given powers to college principals to decide on the attendance criteria. We are assuming that students with less than 40 per cent attendance will face problems this semester,” said DUSU member.
According to members, incidents of not providing admit cards to students by colleges started recently with the VC also abolishing the option of filing a bond used as an undertaking by the defaulter student.
“The 67 per cent mandatory attendance did not leave any room for students who wanted to concentrate on extracurricular activities. More than 10,000 students have been detained this semester over 950 students in just Khalsa College,” said the member.
Student union president Arun Hooda assured the student community that from Monday students with mediocre attendance percentage can collect their admit cards from colleges. DU Teachers Association member Abha Dev Habib said the 67 per cent attendance requirement used to work in the annual mode, but will be difficult in the semester mode.
“The attendance criteria did not change when annnual was shifted to semester mode . Without putting much thought in the coursework or attendance, they converted into the semester mode. Now a student cannot even fall sick nor have an emergency,” said aHindu College English professor.
Last year, many students from Indraprastha College for Women and Dyal Singh College were detained.
“Many students detained were short of one or two per cent. Due to the semester burden and less time given between last day for classes and deadline for calculating attendance, attendances were miscalculated and several students had to seek legal assistance and wasted their precious time” the professor said. The administration should look into the matter rather than being egoistic about it, he added.