CU to be strict on student attendance issue: VC

The Calcutta University would not allow students to sit for examinations without a minimum percentage of attendance, interim vice-chancellor of the university Asutosh Ghosh said today.
"We are ensuring that students (in undergraduate and post-graduate levels) will not be allowed to write their papers without the minimum percentage of attendance," Ghosh told PTI without specifying the figure.
"Different universities follow different yardsticks on this issue. However, the CU will enforce the rule strictly for regular absentee students," Ghosh said.
Citing the instances of educational institutions run by the Ramakrishna Mission or St Xavier's College, he said, "In RKM colleges and in St Xavier's, students have to attend classes regularly. They can be our models."

"If we have to instill discipline among students, we must ensure that they attend classes," he added.
Asked to compare with the situation in Presidenty University where VC Anuradha Lohia has curbed political activity on campus, Ghosh said, "The number of students in Presidency is far lower than CU. In the Bengali department, for instance, there are 30-40 students in a class which is many times lower than the number of Bengali students in CU. However we are serious on the issue."

Asked about media reports about some colleges taking in number of students exceeding their capacities, Ghosh said, "We have collected figures and it was found that some colleges admitted excess number of students in some cases. We have discussed the issue with the colleges so that such things were not repeated."

The interim VC was asked to comment on West Bengal Education minister Partha Chatterjee calling upon students to give first priority to studies and attend classes regularly.
"We are not in favour of students with 2-3 per cent attendance in colleges leading student bodies," Chatterjee had said last week.