Presi students' sit-in opposing attendance norm to contest

A day after the Presidency University here issued a notification to hold students' union polls next month, a students' organisation on Tuesday launched an indefinite sit-in to protest against the attendance norm for contesting the polls.

The organisation, Independent Consolidation, said the authorities would not allow students having below 75 per cent attendance to contest the polls, to be held on November 14.

"Even the authorities refused to consider the case of candidates who could not attend 75 per cent of classes due to medical reason. We consider this as draconian," Independent Consolidation (IC) spokesperson Sayan Mukherjee said.

Over 30 members of the IC launched the indefinite sit-in before the room of Dean of Students from 5 pm in protest, he said.

"Following the students' demands, we have assured them during discussions that the union election dates will not clash with the academic calendar of majority of the students. There is no scope of re-considering any other demand," Dean of Students Arun Maity said.

Maity said the university issued the notification on Monday after getting a letter from the higher education department in this regard.

After putting student union polls on hold for over two years, the West Bengal government last week allowed four unitary universities (varsities that act as a single unit without any affiliated college under it) to conduct the elections whenever they deem appropriate.

The three other universities are Jadavpur University, Rabindra Bharati University and Diamond Harbour Women's University.

Alleging that the Presidency University did not seek the opinion of all the student organisations before issuing the notification, the IC said, "We are not sure about the fairness and transparency of the entire election process."