Students with low attendance can appear for exams

Mumbai: In an exception to its rule of 75 per cent compulsory attendance every semester, the Mumbai University (MU) has allowed more than 120 students to give their final exams despite having less than 50 per cent attendance. These students belong to the first-year and second-year of the Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) courses.

MU officials acknowledged that they were making an exception to the rule for the first time in years. An official told The Asian Age, “We have done this, only to ensure that no student loses his or her academic year. There were many students who had a genuine reason for not having 75 per cent attendance.”

After the Yuva Sena agitation on Wednesday, the varsity on Thursday accepted applications of these students who were earlier not allowed to appear for their examinations. Last week, around three to four city-based colleges did not allow several students to appear for their final semester examinations as their attendance was below 75 per cent.

At an earlier occasion, Dr Lily Bhushan, principal, KES Shroff College, told The Asian Age, “All the students who remained absent or who missed lectures were notified and informed beforehand about the consequences of doing so. They did not bother to understand and now, we have no option but to follow the rules laid down by the Mumbai University.” Dr Bhushan barred over 100 students from appearing for the final exams due to low attendance.

On Wednesday, Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Sena, protested the MU’s not allowing students with low attendance to appear for exams. The day after, the MU started accepting applications of such students and now, they will be giving their final exams at MU’s IDOL, Kalina campus. The varsity has charged `4,000 from these students for appearing for the exams. The exams will be conducted in the month of June.