TMCP urges Partha to find out solution of attendance impasse

The students' wing of the ruling Trinamool Congress on Saturday urged the state education minister to find out a solution as students in several colleges in the city are agitating after they were not allowed to appear for an examination due to shortage of attendance.

The students were to sit for first semester examination of the Calcutta University but only those with a minimum of 60 per cent attendance were allowed.

Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) president Trinankur Bhattacharya said the organisation leaders met Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and requested him to find out a solution which would bring normalcy in academic functioning in colleges and be acceptable to all sides.

He said student representatives from six-seven colleges asked TMCP leadership "to find an way out to the present impasse" over the decision of the authorities to strictly enforce the 60 per cent attendance rule.

A TMCP source said the union also urged Chatterjee to see if there could be relaxation to the attendance rule for this year.

Chatterjee did not speak to reporters after the meeting.

Heramba Chandra College was one of the affected institutes and its Principal Nabanita Chakraborty met the minister during the day.

Chakraborty told reporters that the college has decided to reduce the cut off figure for attendance from 60 per cent to 55 per cent.

Students of the college blocked road at Golpark area on Saturday, for the second consecutive day on Friday demanding that they be allowed to sit for the examination.

Students of Shibnath Shastri College, Gurudas College, Jaipuria College and Behala College had demonstrated over the decision to implement 60 per cent attendance rule in Calcutta University affiliated colleges as per the Choice Based Credit System.

The education minister had earlier asserted that the government will not allow lawlessness taking over in colleges and urged students to ensure academic atmosphere was maintained in cooperation with college authorities.