Hazra: Attendance is "very important" in the choice-based credit system, the vice-principal of Asutosh College said on Tuesday in the presence of the education minister.

Minister Chatterjee was at his alma mater on the occasion of its foundation day.

"Let me tell you attendance is a must in the CBCS system," Apurba Ray, the vice-principal, said.

"If there is any shortfall in attendance, there's no use landing up at the principal's or vice-principal's office demanding a relaxation. I hope you realise why I am insisting on attendance."

The credit system splits three-year undergraduate courses into six semesters and attendance is crucial to cope with the studies, a Calcutta University official said.

"There's an exam after every semester. We have allotted marks based on the percentage of attendance to ensure students don't skip classes," the official said.

The exam rule for BA, BSc and BCom in the credit system has six marks for attendance between 60-75 per cent; eight marks between 75-90 per cent and 10 marks for 90 per cent or more attendance.

The university official lauded Roy for sending out a "stern message" on the importance of attending classes.

Minister Chatterjee wondered why principals had to repeatedly remind students of the importance of attendance and the fact that attendance carried marks.

The credit system was introduced last year, along with provision for marks, in BCom.

Students of several colleges in the city had created a ruckus when they were barred from taking exams for want of the minimum attendance percentage.

Last month, the principal of Seth Anandaram Jaipuria College, the head of its evening section and some teachers were gheraoed for several hours by students who had been barred from taking the BCom second semester exams because of low attendance.

Of the 250 BCom students, 150 had been barred because they fell short of the minimum 60 per cent attendance.

"We want college principals to use occasions like freshers' welcome to explain the importance of attending classes," the university official said.

"The fact that the vice-principal of Asutosh College delivered such a message in the presence of the education minister must have carried an added weight."

Such occasions are rare where so many students can be addressed simultaneously, Ray, the vice-principal of Asutosh College, said.

"So, I used the occasion. Minister Chatterjee, too, has batted for attendance," he said.

After the unrest at Jaipuria, minister Chatterjee had said the credit system was in place and it involved marks related to attendance.

"So, students must realise they have to attend classes on all working days. We will not support any movement demanding permission to take exams without having the required minimum attendance," Chatterjee had said.