Bihar Board makes 75% attendance must for classes 9 to 12 to appear in board exams

NEW DELHI: Bihar School Examination Board, Patna has made it mandatory for students of Classes 9 to 12 to have a minimum of 75% attendance to be allowed to sit in the exams. The announcement comes days after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar directed all state universities to forbid students from sitting in examinations if they have less than 75% attendance.

In this regard, the Bihar board has issued an order addressing all heads, teachers, students, parents of secondary and higher secondary schools in the state.

“It is informed that the students studying in Class 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th in recognized educational institutions of secondary and higher secondary level of the state should have a minimum 75% attendance. Only those students will be allowed to appear in the secondary/intermediate board examinations conducted by the committee and in the annual examinations of Class 9th of secondary and Class 11th of intermediate,” the order read.

In the order issued earlier, the board allowed relaxation of criteria in cases up to 60%. However, it has been cancelled. It reiterated that students who do not have the minimum attendance will not be allowed to appear in the annual exam under any circumstances.

Robert L Chongthu, principal secretary said: "It has come to the notice that colleges are allowing students having less than 75 per cent attendance to appear in university exams. The chancellor is not happy with this practice and he has directed to issue an order in this regard to ensure that 75 per cent mandatory attendance is strictly followed before allowing students to appear in university examination."

This directive from the Raj Bhavan came hours after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met the Governor on Wednesday amid the state education department's tussle with the chancellor's office over the appointment of VCs in different universities, the PTI reported.