Kolkata law college vice-principal says students forced her to quit, vows to resume duties on Sep 14

Kolkata: Vice-principal of Surendranath Law College Mohammad Tarannum, who resigned after being gheraoed by a section of students over attendance requirements for semester exams, on Saturday claimed that she was forced to step down and assured to resume her duties on September 14.

Tarannum resigned on Friday afternoon after being surrounded by students for around 23 hours outside her office. The students were protesting against the attendance criteria for appearing in semester exams. Tarannum claimed that she was forced to submit her resignation around noon on September 11 and had sent both a letter and an email to Calcutta University vice-chancellor and the higher education department.

"I will come to the college as usual on Monday and enter my room to discharge my responsibilities. I was forced to write the resignation letter and send an email by those students who were barred from appearing in the semester exams for not meeting the attendance criteria," she told reporters. Tarannum alleged that she was denied basic amenities, including water, electricity and food, during the 23-hour gherao on September 10-11.

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Tarannum alleges pressure over attendance row

The students were protesting against the college's decision to enforce a minimum attendance requirement for exams, she said. "I would rather die than bow to their diktat," Tarannum said. She also alleged that governing council chairman Kaustav Bagchi was not acting in the academic interest of students or supporting efforts to maintain discipline on the attendance issue.

"I believe in transparency in the exam system and education in law college. I have no link with the earlier TMC as alleged by a section. Yes, I may have been associated with Left politics in the past. But I had never actively worked to serve anyone's interest," she said. The dispute began after the college issued a notice stating that students would not be allowed to appear for exams unless they had at least 75 per cent attendance.

The issue subsequently escalated during the filling up of exam forms. According to the agitating students, Bagchi, a BJP MLA and lawyer, intervened in the matter and said students with attendance below 75 per cent could be allowed to appear for the exams after submitting a self-declaration.

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Attendance threshold revised to 40%

However, during the form-filling process, the attendance criterion remained contentious, and it was subsequently decided that students would require at least 40 per cent attendance, they said. Bagchi on Friday accused Tarannum of precipitating the issue. "She has created an anti-student mechanism where those coming at early morning hours have to wait till noon as classes start much late.

Yes, 75 per cent attendance mark limit is true and logical, but students are victimised and living under pressure for speaking out on issues," Bagchi said. "Why don't the authorities start dialogue in an open, fear-free atmosphere with students who are willing to sit for exams after fulfilling eligibility criteria," he said.

The agitating students claimed that around 600 of the college's nearly 900 students could be unable to appear for the exams if the attendance requirement is strictly enforced.