KU students continue stir over attendance-linked exam bar
JAMSHEDPUR: The strike against Kolhan University’s decision of not allowing students with less than 75% of attendance from appearing in exams entered the fifth day on Sunday.
Students of Jamshedpur Workers College (JWC) and Jamshedpur Cooperative College (JCC) are on hunger strike since August 3. Six out of ten have been admitted to the hospital after their health deteriorated
The students said the strike under the banner of Jharkhand Chhatra Morcha (JCM) and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) will continue till all those who have been debarred from exam for low attendance are allowed to appear.
The protesters said the university was holding back pregnant, daily wage workers and unwell students from filling up the examination forms due to attendance shortage. The number of such students is around 2,000, they said.
The examination of the graduate and post-graduate students will commence from next week.
“Without having proper infrastructure in colleges, the university wants students to adhere to 75% attendance. The capacity of Jamshedpur Workers College is around 2000 but the number of students is 11,000. How will all the students attend classes simultaneously? The university administration is violating our human rights under the garb of attendance policy,” president of JWC students’ union Hemant Pathak said.
Senior JCM leader Pawan Singh said the university should first resolve the seating arrangement before enforcing the attendance percentage policy. The university should form a committee to find the reasons why students are not attending the classes, he added.
The university administration has, however, refuted charges of violating students’ human rights. They alleged the students were giving false reasons for attendance shortage.
Vice chancellor of the university RPP Singh said the students would have to follow the attendance policy if they want to appear in the examination. “The KU will not ask the students to call off the strike,” the VC said.