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Latest News |
| 14th
January 2010 / Times of India / Bangalore Edition |
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Present Sir!
Colleges Have Cracked Down On Students Bunking Classes And Are Insisting On High Attendance Percentage
Ask students how they avoid boring lectures or painful professors and their answer is simple. Bunk.
But gone are the days when students would skip classes without fretting over attendance. Now, with colleges across courses — medical, dental, engineering and other degree programmes — becoming strict about attendance, students bunking classes has dramatically reduced. Hitherto, colleges would penalize students for poor attendance. After students paid the fine, they’d be allowed to appear for the exam. However, in the past two years, colleges don’t permit students to appear for the exam without the required attendance unless they have a strong enough reason, like a medical condition. Penalizing students for low attendance has been done away with in a few colleges.
Some colleges are taking proactive measures like displaying the attendance on the notice-board every month, updating it on the college website, etc. At Christ University, students are required to have a minimum of 85% attendance. “Every week our attendance is updated. Each student is given an ID and password with which they can check their attendance. It shows which class we have missed. If it’s for medical reasons, then we have to get the signature of the teacher whose classes we have missed and then the vice-chancellor has to clear it,” said Nachiketh B C, a second semester student of communication.
At New Horizon College of Engineering, the minimum attendance is 85%. “Weekly and monthly attendance is displayed on the board. Some students pay fines if the shortage is marginal. There’s no way one can get away with low attendance,” said Thushara V, first semester (electronics and communication).
Interestingly, a student from a reputed engineering college who didn’t want to be named, said his college is wary about medical certificates given by students. “Once, all the students who had attendance shortage got medical certificates from the same doctor! The principal was upset when he learned about it. It’s still a challenge for the college to know if the medical certificate is genuine,” he said.
In some institutes, if a student has less attendance, their marks are deducted. Deepak Sridhar, 4th year student at the National Law School of India University said that in addition to having a minimum limit of 75% attendance, they also have five marks for attendance and lose a mark for bunking more than four hours unless it’s for some event. “People have been barred from writing exams if their attendance is too low. We’re given some leeway for extra-curricular activities but otherwise, one generally has to attend classes,” he said.
It’s similar with CMRIMS College. Ankeeta Upadhyay, M Sc (biotech) student, said the Internal Assessment (IA) is based on attendance.
For example, if a student has an attendance of 95% and above, then five marks are awarded. “But if a student has a genuine reasons like illness, they will be allowed to appear for the exam after they submit the medical certificate. If a student’s attendance is low, they will not be allowed to take the exams,” she added.
However, for students whose attendance is less by 1 or 2% than to minimum percentage, students are given a chance through “make-up” classes. And, it’s no different in medical colleges. Regan Fernandes, 3rd year student of St John’s Medical College, said the college maintains separate attendance for practical and theory classes. “The minimum required is 75%. If a student falls short of a few classes, they’re given a chance to attend extra classes. If the shortage is acute, there’s no way they’re allowed to appear for the exam. If we have a shortage, teachers inform us and we make it up,” he said.
It’s a boon for students who opt for residential courses. Sneha Menon, who is doing her post-graduation at IIJNM, said one cannot afford to bunk as the “course is for 10 months and intensive”, adding, “Moreover, we all stay on the campus. So, we can have fun without bunking classes.”
It now seems students have to figure out how to have all the fun in their spare time!
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