Commerce stream students most likely to bunk classes, feel teachers

Kolkata: Teachers from different institutions in the city have shared contrasting opinion on the agitation of students from different colleges over their demand to appear for examinations even with low attendance. Interestingly, majority of students who agitated belong to the

Commerce stream.

According to experts, students affinity towards private tuition and pursuing other professional courses have resulted in class bunking.

Eminent educationist and professor of Jadavpur University Kanak Sarkar said: "Skipping classes in commerce stream is nothing unusual. They have the opinion that there is no use in attending classes for the sake of a career. They are often found to go for other professional courses."

A section of teachers opine that these students believe classroom teaching will not help them in getting employed. They believe in employment through competitive examinations and professional courses. They also pursue studies related to Chartered Accountancy besides their study in BCom or MCom.

Head of Commerce in Calcutta University Jadab Krishna Das said: "The students of BCom depend on private tuitions and bunk classes at will. But under the current system of Calcutta University students need to have 60 percent attendance and there is 10 marks allotted for attendance. So, they cannot stay away

from classes."

Under the current system, attendance is uploaded on the website from time to time so teachers cannot tamper with attendance.

Teachers also maintained that with the current trend of movement among students, colleges should organise workshops or similar programmes and make students aware about the rules regarding attendance.

The Calcutta University's syndicate meeting is scheduled to be held on Monday where the issue of attendance will come up for a discussion.