College Street: Calcutta University vice-chancellor Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee stayed in the Bengali department till late on Tuesday to protest gherao of five teachers earlier in the day.

Thirty students gheraoed five Bengali teachers in the evening for barring them from taking the first and third semester exams starting February 27.

The students have been barred because they have less than the mandatory 55 per cent attendance.

The teachers were gheraoed from 5pm to 8pm.

Chakravarti Banerjee, who had left the campus, returned at 8pm and persuaded the protesting students to let the teachers go.

When the students refused to leave the campus, she decided to stay back.

Pro VC Minakshi Ray, who returned with Chakravarti Banerjee, stayed back as well.

"I don't approve of students skipping classes and then keeping teachers confined in the name of protest," Chakravarti Banerjee said.

"Last year the same thing had happened. As the students refused to leave the campus, I decided to remain seated as a mark of protest."

University rules make it a mandatory for students to have 65 per cent attendance in all subjects. Those with 55-64 per cent attendance can take exams after paying a fine and submitting proper documents, such as medical certificates, to explain their absence.

"Some of the protesting students have only 40 per cent attendance," a teacher said.

"How can we allow students who don't even have 55 per cent attendance to take the exams?" the vice-chancellor asked.

Last June, at least 100 Calcutta University students barred from taking the Bengali MA Part I and Part II exams because of low attendance had staged a protest, demanding they be allowed.