UG, PG attendance shortage norm to be relaxed

The final year undergraduate and postgraduate students appearing for examinations in September will get relaxation from a shortage of attendance.

Considering the loss of academic days and classes conducted through online mode, all universities have given exemption from attendance shortage with the condition that students must attend 15 days of physical classes which are planned to be conducted before the examinations.

"The Supreme Court has instructed us not to be particular about attendance and we have instructed all state-run universities to follow the same," said an official from state higher education department.

However, some universities have taken a decision to make it mandatory for students to attend 15 days of physical classes to be conducted before the exams.

"Relaxation of attendance should not be taken for granted. We are issuing a circular about the compulsory attendance for 15 days of physical classes," the vice-chancellor of a state-run university said.

Students testing positive for Covid-19, becoming primary contacts or under home isolation or quarantine will be excluded from the mandatory attendance for 15 days.

Speaking to DH Prof K R Venugopal, the vice-chancellor of Bangalore University said, "We require 52 days to complete the examinations as we should conduct the exams for students from all 700 colleges. This year we can't insist on attendance as there is no question of compulsory attendance."

It was decided to track the attendance, when universities/colleges switched to online classes in the beginning. Network issues and complaints from students forced the institutions to drop the move.