BENGALURU: AS about 4,204 PU II students with poor attendance are likely to lose their whole academic year, principals of some pre university colleges in the city are feeling the heat.
They are facing a barrage of requests from political bigwigs, local leaders and college managements to allow such students to appear for examinations despite having attendance shortage. Mostly, the requests are made for students hailing from affluent families.
The principal of a top college in the city has even threatened the management of going on leave if he continues to get such request calls from any management representative.
A college principal told Express,”In our college, 121 students have less than 75 per cent attendance and I cannot issue hall tickets to them. Some are now coming with medical records but if I consider one such case, I will have to issue hall tickets to everyone. The pressure I am undergoing is equal to the examination pressure that students face.”
“We are getting frequent calls from politicians and local leaders. They should understand that it is not about giving a college seat. When there are many students with attendance shortage, we cannot allow one student to write the exams,” said the principal of another college.
C Shikha, director of the PUE department said, “As per the rules and the Supreme Court directions, 75 per cent attendance is mandatory in all the subjects. In case of health issues, the principals are authorised to verify documents and issue hall tickets. If there are colleges troubling students purposefully, we can take action against them, but for that complaints should be filed by students.”
A woman whose son studies in Seshadripuram PU College said that her son had suffered from chikungunya and was unable to attend classes for a few months.
“I have complete records of the treatment, but the authorities are not considering them,” the woman alleged.
Dr Prakash, director of Seshadripuram Group of Institutions, said,”When a student can secure 75 per cent attendance in one subject, why can’t he/she do the same in another subject.”
Some students have, meanwhile, complained of errors in the hall tickets. The department officials said that the errors are not major and they can be corrected even after the exams.