2 hrs ago
Kolkata Law College Vice-Principal Resigns After Attendance Protest
A law college in Kolkata said students need 75% attendance to take their exams.
Some students did not meet that requirement.
They protested and surrounded the vice-principal, Muhammadi Tarannum, overnight.
Tarannum said the students pressured her and did not let her eat or drink.
The students said classes were moved to 6 a.m.
and attendance records were not kept properly.
The college’s governing council chairman said the attendance rule was real but that some records might have problems.
He said the college was trying to find a fair solution.
Tarannum asked government and university officials to investigate.
Her resignation letter gave family, health and personal reasons instead of mentioning the protest.
Vice-principal Muhammadi Tarannum said student pressure forced her to resign after an overnight gherao.
The dispute began after the college required 75% attendance to sit semester examinations.
Students said early class timings and poorly maintained attendance records caused some absences.
Governing Council chairman Kaustav Bagchi acknowledged the attendance requirement but said anomalies needed resolution.
Tarannum’s public explanation cited student pressure, while her resignation letter cited family, health and personal issues.
- Who
- Vice-principal Muhammadi Tarannum, protesting students, Governing Council chairman Kaustav Bagchi, college administrators and teachers.
- What
- Tarannum resigned after students protested the 75% attendance requirement for semester examinations and allegedly gheraoed her overnight.
- Where
- At a reputed law college in Kolkata.
- When
- The dispute began on Wednesday; the gherao continued through Thursday night, and Tarannum spoke on Friday afternoon.
- Why
- Students sought permission to take examinations despite attendance shortages, citing changed class timings and problems with attendance records.
Students’ Position
Administration’s Position
Attendance eligibility
Students’ Position
Students wanted to sit for examinations despite falling short of the 75% attendance requirement.
Administration’s Position
Tarannum said the 75% requirement followed bar council rules and that students who did not attend classes could not simply be allowed to take exams.
Attendance records
Students’ Position
Students alleged that the attendance roster was not maintained properly and that attendance was sometimes recorded using paper chits or WhatsApp.
Administration’s Position
Bagchi acknowledged possible attendance anomalies and said the issue should be settled amicably, while Tarannum called for a transparent investigation.
Reason for resignation
Students’ Position
Students protested and demanded Tarannum’s resignation, and she said the pressure forced her to quit.
Administration’s Position
Tarannum’s formal resignation letter attributed her departure to unavoidable family, health-related and personal issues.
Key facts
- Attendance requirement
- Students must generally have 75% attendance to sit semester examinations, according to the college and Tarannum.
- Resignation
- Muhammadi Tarannum said student pressure forced her to resign; her resignation letter cited family, health-related and personal issues.
- Protest
- Students gheraoed Tarannum through Thursday night and demanded her resignation.
- Proposed concession
- Students reportedly sought permission for those marginally below 75% to take exams after submitting self-declarations.
- Governing council position
- Kaustav Bagchi said five percentage points may be considered and that attendance anomalies needed to be addressed.
- Students’ complaint
- Students said classes had shifted from 8 a.m. to 6 a.m. and attendance was sometimes recorded on paper chits or through WhatsApp.
- Requested investigation
- Tarannum asked the chief minister and education minister to investigate the dispute and the transparency of the attendance system.
Quotes
A protesting student
Student participating in the protest
“A few months back the administration decided to start classes from 6 am. Earlier classes were held from 8 am. Some students missed classes due to this. The attendance roster was also not maintained properly and the vice principal failed to show it. Attendance was sometimes registered using paper chits or through Whatsapp.”
indianexpress.com
“It is true that 75 percent attendance is needed and five percent may be considered. I held talks with the students and learnt that there were anomalies in the attendance process. The issue should be amicably settled. We are working towards that.”
indianexpress.com
Muhammadi Tarannum
Vice-principal of the Kolkata law college
“I was forced to tender my resignation.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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