Students appeal… ‘Be fair to all, don’t favour the rich’

 

— By Ronald Rodrigues | May 13, 2018 12:12 am

Mumbai University students believe that if 75 per cent attendance is mandatory, then it should be implemented for all without any bias.

Mumbai : “You need to have 75 per cent attendance or will not be allowed to appear for the examination, You need to attend lectures or a strict action will be taken,” We all have heard these remarks in college from our professors which somehow cemented the importance of attendance in our minds. But is attendance stil an important criteria? Or are some students getting away with low attendance while others are enclosing themselves in the four walls of a classroom?

A general rule of 75 per cent attendance is observed and followed by a majority of colleges. While as per the Mumbai University (MU), students should have a minimum of 50 per cent attendance. Even the Bombay High Court (HC) recently passed an order stating students who do not have minimum attendance of 50 per cent will not be allowed to appear for semester examinations.

Despite all of these norms, both colleges and university are bending attendance rules to either help students, favour them or avoid any kind of inconvenience. College faculty revealed they do it to save the reputation of the college and maintain its status. While, the university claimed students are helpless and cannot afford to waste an academic year just because they did not attend a few lectures.

Students claimed the real picture is bigger than it appears. Students revealed attendance issue is generally resolved at college level through various means like showing a medical certificate for illness, completing extra assignments or projects to cover up the lack of attendance or simply appearing for ATKT examination if failed in semesters due to low attendance.

Some students even mentioned they can pay off the peon or staff involved to cover up their attendance. And to hype the issue, they can go out on the street along with their parents and protest outside the college campus which forces the college to save its reputation from media spur and resolve the attendance issue of students. And in worst case scenario, students can knock the door of the university and pay off a fee of Rs 4,000 and appear for the examination.

Last week, the university allowed over 120 students to appear for First Year and Second Year (FY and SY) semester examinations of Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Commerce (BCom) by paying a fee of Rs 4,000 despite having attendance below 50 to 60 per cent. An official of MU said, “We want to help student as some of them have genuine reasons.” While a Yuva Sena senate member said, “We can recover funds through these fees and manage the loss that the university is going through.”

So, is it a tactic of the university to amass funds from students? As an amount of Rs 4.80 lakh (4,000×120) has already being collected by the university. While, attendance issues are also resolved by pressurising college principals, head of deapartments and teachers by rich and powerful parents. A parent of Shroff College, Kandivali said, “The college charges us fees so they should allow our chidlren to appear for examination. My child’s attendance is below 50 per cent but I have paid huge fees and my child cannot lose a year.”

So, does this mean just because parents are paying huge fees their children can getaway with anything? Or do the disciplinary rules not apply for the rich? Students are the ones who are most affected by attendance system, and they revealed the attendance rule should be equal for all. Pratik Shahane, a student said, “If there is a rule then it should be applicable for all. If there is a punishment then it should be applicable for all too. We do not fear the failure of examination due to low attendance but we cannot stand the injustice and favourism for the rich, powerful and influential.”

Students claimed either nobody or everybody should be allowed to getaway with low attendance. Tanishka Mukherji, a student said, “Why should a few of us attend lectures while the others play the fool and getaway with it by throwing off some money. All of us should face the consequences of our actions. As students we all know that we bunk lectures and often cook up a medical reason. But if we cross the limits then we should face the repurcussions without involving our parents or our financial and social status.”

Source : http://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/students-appeal-be-fair-to-all-dont-favour-the-rich/1275724