Kolkata: State Education minister Partha Chatterjee on Saturday held a meeting with representatives from the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) and also with the principal of Heramba Chandra College of Golpark in South Kolkata.
Heramba Chandra, along with some other colleges across the city, has witnessed agitation from a section of students who have been barred from sitting in their semester examinations on account of low attendance.
The protest had turned violent at Heramba Chandra on Friday when agitating students scuffled with the police and resorted to road blockade at Golpark crossing.
On Saturday, Sivanath Sastri College's day section, where a number of students have had a similar fate, joined in the protest with Heramba Chandra and blocked the Golpark crossing in the evening with the demand that they should be allowed to sit for the examination.
It may be mentioned that around 400 students of Heramba Chandra have a low attendance problem.
"I have requested the state Education minister to allow some sort of relaxation in this matter only for this year.
The final decision will be
taken by him," said Trinankur Bhattacharya, president of TMCP, after meeting the minister.
Trinankur said the students have been directed to ensure proper attendance and academics in their respective colleges.
There have been around half a dozen colleges in which a section of students has been barred from sitting in the examination due to low attendance.
They had met the TMCP president and pleaded for considering their case.
Nabanita Chakraborty, principal of Heramba Chandra College, held a meeting at the residence of Chatterjee.
While leaving the college, she said: "Students with 55 percent attendance will be allowed to sit for the examination."
However, Chatterjee remained tight-lipped about his meetings.
As per the rules of Calcutta University (CU), 60 percent attendance is mandatory for appearing in the semester examinations. All the colleges that had seen agitation for the last few days are affiliated to Calcutta University.
The agitating students of Sivanath Sastri College claimed that they had attended
classes but roll calls were done on white paper and later the attendance register was not updated.
"We will not allow anybody to sit for the examinations if we are prevented," an agitating student threatened.
Behala College, Gurudas College, St Paul's College, Jaipuria College are among the other colleges that had witnessed protests over similar demands from a number of students who have not been allowed to sit for an examination due to low attendance.