West Bengal Government on Tuesday asked the universities to make students aware of the minimum attendance required under the Choice Based Credit System to appear for the semester examinations.
“I have asked the VCs to ensure that the students (of universities and affiliated colleges) are alerted in no uncertain terms that attendance is essential from the day of admission,” Education minister Partha Chatterjee said.
While briefing reporters on deliberations at a meeting attended by VCs and registrars of state-run universities, Chatterjee said the agitators had claimed about not being properly intimated about the attendance requirement by their institute beforehand. Asked if the VCs were asked to lower the minimum number of attendance from 60 percent, Chatterjee said, “No way. The minimum attendance figures will not be decreased.”
The minister said the universities have been asked to start the recruitment process of teaching and non-teaching staff.
He recalled that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had in January 2016 called for filling up posts of universities in six months, “but only 20-30 percent recruitments have been completed in different institutions till this date.”
The Authorities of different universities mentioned issues of reservation policies hindering the recruitment process. To this, Chatterjee said, “We have asked them to form a cell and coordinate with the department concerned to iron out the glitches.” On the announcement made by the chief minister about rising in retirement age of college/university teachers from 62 years to 65 years and VCs and Pro-VCs to 70 years, he said, “We have discussed the issue with senior department officials today. We will draft a bill very soon and secure the cabinet nod.”