Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS/DV)

Mangaluru, Feb 21: The row over non-provision of hall tickets to some students by the management of St Aloysius PU College due to attendance shortage came to a head on Saturday February 21 with students led by Campus Front of India (CFI) protesting outside the college.

Around 23 first-year PU students of St Aloysius PU College were not issued hall tickets for the exams that began a few days ago, as they did not have the mandatory 75 percent attendance. However, three of the 23 students approached the DDPI, alleging that they had been done 'injustice' and demanding that they be given the hall tickets. The exams began on February 18 and will go on till February 28.

The three students, Mohammed Sufiyan, Hilfaz Mohammed and Abubakker Siddique had approached the department of pre-university (DDPU) urging intervention in the issue. The protestors claimed that the DDPU visited the college and directed the management to issue the hall tickets.

Among the three students, Sufiyan, a student of science stream, has shortage only in one subject, it is learnt. In his complaint to the DDPU, he claimed that the college had not informed him about the attendance shortage, nor called his parents (who are said to be staying abroad) for the parent-teachers' meet. He also claimed that he was not given attendance for the month of January.

The protestors contended that though the students have shortage in attendance, the management cannot withhold the hall tickets without the bringing it to the notice of the PU Board, as quoted in a notice issued by the DDPU after visiting the college.

However, contradictory to the statement in the DDPU's notice (a copy of which is with daijiworld), the PU Board's website clearly states that students with less than 75 percent attendance are not allowed to answer the exams, including supplemantary, and that they have to repeat the year. It also states that no one has the power to condone attendance shortage.

The protestors also claimed that despite the DDPU's notice, the college refused to grant the hall tickets, and alleged that the three students were made to assemble in a room and 'harassed' by five lecturers. "They were forced to sign some papers," the protestors claimed.

They also alleged that the parents of the 23 students were not informed about the shortage in attendance as per rules. However, it is learnt that the college had in fact called a meeting of the parents before the date of the issual of the hall tickets and informed them.

The protestors said they would continue the protest until the hall tickets were issued.

Cannot issue hall tickets, allegations baseless: College

Meanwhile, speaking to daijiworld, principal of the college Fr Melwin Mendonca said that the 23 students were not given hall tickets as they did not have 75 percent attendance in their subjects.

"All the 23 students have attendance shortage, and the management has all the documents to prove this fact," he said.

He also blamed Campus Front of India (CFI) for instigating the students. "Three of the boys have connection with CFI which is supporting them in staging the protest.

"If these three students are issued hall tickets, then the rest of the students will also have to be allowed to answer the exams. It is not possible as they have less than 75 percent attendance," he said.

Asked about the DDPU's visit to the college, Fr Mendonca said, "The DDPU officer visited the college and found all the documents to be in order. He has responded in favour of the college."

Explaining the procedure followed in monitoring the attendance of students, he said, "When a student is absent for a day or two, the parents are sent a letter, and if the absence is for more than three days, the parents are contacted on phone. If the absence is for more than four days, the parents are called to the college and asked to sign. All these three steps were followed as per the guidelines of the PU Board."

He also said that claims of DC intervening in the issue were not true. "The DC has neither called nor visited the college," he said.

"The parents are supporting the college, and so also other students. On February 12, the parents of the students concerned were called to the college and informed about their children's attendance shortage. Among the students, three had come to the principal's chamber and tried to protest, and as they failed, they are now protesting outside the college with the support of CFI," Fr Mendonca said.

Asked about the protestors' claims that the students were harassed by five teachers, he brushed aside the allegations and said, "There was no harassment of any student. We do not do that as it is not right. It is a baseless allegation."

DDPU version

When contacted, DDPU officer Thimayya told daijiworld that following the complaint from the student, he had visited the college and given a written request asking the college to issue the hall tickets. "The college has all the documents to support the fact that students have attendance shortage, hence it refused to give hall tickets," he said.

Asked about the disparity regarding the issual of hall tickets between the notice issued by the DDPU and the PU Board's guidelines on the website, he said, "I cannot comment on it, but yes, students with attendance shortage cannot be allowed to write the exams. The information on the website is correct."