Utter chaos in two colleges as students with low attendance demand to be allowed to sit for exam

Kolkata: Heramba Chandra College in Golpark and Gurudas College in Phoolbagan on Friday afternoon witnessed violent protests from students who pushed for permission to sit for the examinations despite poor attendance.

Calcutta University's main campus at College Street also saw protests from students of Jaipuria College and St. Paul's College for the same reason.

State Education minister Partha Chatterjee said: "This is the internal matter of the respective colleges. I have nothing to say."

Students resorted to road blockade at Heramba Chandra College, resulting in traffic disruption and inconvenience to people travelling to other parts of the city from the South and vice-versa.

A number of students with low attendance gathered in front of the college on Friday morning and tried to sit for talks with the principal of the college. However the college authorities made it clear that they have no role to play as the rules of Calcutta University do not allow a student to sit for examination if the attendance is below 60 percent.

The situation turned worse, with the students getting embroiled in a heated altercation with the police. When police tried to bring the situation under control, the students broke the police barricade and encroached on Golpark crossing and blocked the road. Most of the agitating students claimed that they had attended classes but roll calls were done in white paper and later, the attendance registers were not updated.

Nabanita Chakraborty, principal of the college, said: "We have brought out the list of attendance for all the subjects that are taught in the morning section. It is clear from that who are eligible to sit for the examination. The reason for disallowing students has been mentioned in the list but they are insisting on the fact that they should be allowed."

The college authorities alleged that the agitators also tried to prevent eligible students from filling up forms. The classes of the evening section in the college was also called off due to the agitation.

Meanwhile, a section of students at Gurudas College also staged a protest demonstration in front of the college gate, with the same demand. They were also demanding permission to sit for the examination, despite having low attendance.