1 week ago
Surendranath College Attendance Dispute Continues After VP Resignation
Students at Surendranath College are arguing with the vice-principal about attendance records.
The college requires students to attend at least 65% of classes to take exams.
Some students said only 10 to 15 of about 700 students met that requirement.
They questioned how the records were created and alleged that the online system was changed unfairly.
The vice-principal said students with little or no attendance pressured her to let them take exams.
Students denied keeping her confined because of the attendance rule.
She was reportedly made to sign a resignation letter after being detained for about 23 hours.
She later said she had not changed the records and was absent on Monday because of health issues.
Students questioned how only 10 to 15 of roughly 700 students reportedly met the 65% attendance requirement for exams.
They alleged Vice-Principal Mohammadi Tarannum kept no physical attendance records and that the online system was manipulated.
Students denied confining or harassing Tarannum because she wanted to enforce attendance rules or because she is Muslim.
Tarannum alleged that students with zero attendance pressured her to permit them to sit semester exams scheduled for the third week of September.
Tarannum said she was entitled to take Fridays off as a weekly preparatory break and denied manipulating attendance records.
- Who
- Students of Surendranath College and Vice-Principal Mohammadi Tarannum.
- What
- A dispute over attendance records, exam eligibility, and Tarannum’s alleged forced resignation.
- Where
- Surendranath College in Sealdah.
- When
- The latest claims were made on Monday; Tarannum was detained for about 23 hours the previous week, and exams were scheduled for the third week of September.
- Why
- Students questioned how so few students reportedly met the 65% attendance requirement, while Tarannum said students with insufficient attendance pressured her to let them take exams.
Students’ allegations
Vice-principal’s response
Attendance records
Students’ allegations
Students alleged that Tarannum maintained no physical attendance records and that the online system was manipulated.
Vice-principal’s response
Tarannum denied manipulating the attendance records.
Reason for the confrontation
Students’ allegations
Students said they opposed how attendance was marked, not the attendance requirement itself, and denied confining Tarannum for enforcing the rules.
Vice-principal’s response
Tarannum alleged that students with zero attendance pressured her to allow them to sit the semester exams.
Friday absence and religious angle
Students’ allegations
Student Rajat Kumar Adak said Tarannum’s absence from college on Fridays could affect students and raised the issue after a religious angle was mentioned.
Vice-principal’s response
Tarannum said Friday was a preparatory break she was entitled to take once a week and denied any religious connection.
Key facts
- Attendance requirement
- Students need 65% attendance to appear for exams.
- Reported eligible students
- Students said only 10 to 15 of approximately 700 students met the requirement.
- Vice-principal
- Mohammadi Tarannum heads the college in the absence of a principal.
- Principal vacancy
- The college has reportedly been without a principal for 10 years.
- Detention
- Tarannum was detained by protesting students for about 23 hours.
- Exam timing
- Semester exams were scheduled for the third week of September.
- Monday absence
- Tarannum did not attend college on Monday, citing health issues.
Quotes
Uday Shankar Biswas
An undergraduate student at Surendranath College
“Since the religious angle has been raised, we would like to state that the vice-principal, Mohammadi Tarannum, would never come to college on Fridays. Don’t you think that this will impact students?”
telegraphindia.com
“I took an off-day on Fridays as a preparatory break, which a college head is entitled to once a week. There was no religious angle to it. I did not manipulate the attendance records.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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