Around 98% JNU students reject compulsory attendance

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, March 8

Around 98 per cent of voters in a referendum by JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) opposing the varsity’s newly introduced compulsory 75 per cent attendance policy has left the students’ body in a celebratory mood.

The referendum saw a huge turnout with 98.47 per cent students of the total 4,450 participants “rejecting” the mandatory attendance for the varsity’s all programmes from the ongoing winter session.

At loggerheads with the administration over issues, including mess fee hike, the compulsory attendance and drastic seat cuts in reserved category at MPhil-PhD levels, the JNUSU sees it as its "moral victory".

In the latest development today, JNU Dean Prof Umesh Kadam has once again justified the administration's mess fee hike with effect March 8 issuing a notification in which it maintained the revision was made after a long gap in a meeting of the Inter Hall Administration. 

The JNUSU held a referendum in which it asked students to vote “yes” for voluntary attendance and continuous evaluation.

“Over 98 per cent students have voted yes, which is a verdict against compulsory attendance. This is a huge moral victory for JNUSU,” said JNUSU office-bearers.

The referendum was held in two phases yesterday — between 9 am and 2 pm in front of School of Languages and School of International Studies and from 4 pm and 8 pm at Ganga Dhaba, Godavari Dhaba, Sabarmati Dhaba, Mahi-Mandavi Lawns, Brahmaputra and Damodar hostels on the varsity campus.