Utkarsh Kumar, III Year, B.A. Geography (Hons), Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
Making attendance mandatory in universities is a narrow approach to widen the objective base of an educational ecosystem. It is detrimental to the articulation of responsible freedom, and underlines the ideology of forced discipline — this invites negative repercussions and leaves less space for grooming of creativity, which happens primarily through research and co-curricular activities. The fructified sparks of education come best from interactive learning, community participation, and field exposure.
Mrinalini Mukherjee, III Year, Psychology (Hons), Bethune College, Calcutta University, Kolkata
When I got into college, I was always told by seniors to regularly attend classes. As I was interested in the subject, there was no need for the university to create a rule for attendance. But later, when the pressure of studies increased, I realised the importance of this rule. This reduces the workload which we usually keep procrastinating. Thus, this rule should be retained.
R. Rakshana, II Year, Biotechnology, Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Chennai
Attendance doesn’t equate to knowledge. One can be physically present in class but mentally absent. It is absurd to ask for minimum attendance to be maintained in order to complete a course. For all those debates on the legitimacy of college attendance, why don’t we have attendance in Parliament to make sure the lawmakers are attentive to the needs of the nation too?
S.Shashank, IV Year, B.A.LLB, National Law School, Tiruchi
The imposition of this rule is equivalent to curbing academic freedom. A minimum attendance requirement should be mandatory during undergraduate studies — but the consequences of non-fulfilment can be relaxed. For example, a student need not be detained, or failed, for having less than 75% attendance. But, in postgraduate studies, a mandatory attendance requirement is unfounded, as specialisation courses are intensive and definitely require more academic freedom to stimulate original thought in the field.
