Jamia Millia Islamia expelled over 500 students for poor attendance

Attendance woes have hit Jamia Millia Islamia — more specifically its students — hard.Four months after a similar demonstration, the students are again protesting what they call undue expulsions by the university. They claim that more than 500 students have been expelled this time because of their poor attendance records.

“ The situation is the same as it was (in December), when the administration expelled 300 students... now, about 500, maybe more, have been expelled,” an activist of the All India Students Association (AISA), which held a protest on Monday demanding the students be taken back, said.

A release from AISA alleged that the administration was yet to address several concerns regarding attendance since December. These included the non-uniform manner in which a policy regarding medical certificates was followed, the release said. It also cited a lack of transparency and nepotism as issues that need to be dealt with under Jamia’s attendance policy.

The administration, however, claimed that the students were expelled following university guidelines which mandate 75 per cent attendance for students to be able to take the exams. The university said that the figure of 500 was speculation by some students.

“ There are a handful of 100- odd students who haven’t been up to the mark with their attendance,” Simi Malhotra, Jamia spokesperson, said. “ The university has 20,000 students, most of whom attend classes regularly,” she said, adding that only those who did not fulfil the attendance criteria would have to take admission to the same year.

In December, the Jamia administration had decided to expel 300 students for their poor attendance records. Following a student movement organised by AISA, Jamia revoked its decision and took back some of the students.

At the protest on Monday, the students called for the administration to once again take back the expelled students and give them some guarantee that they would be able to appear for the exams.

“ Since December, there has been no communication (from the administration),” the AISA activist said. “ Some students approached the university office in March to find out their attendance percentage, but the administration denied them the information and directed them to the official list that would come out before the exams.” Malhotra, however, claimed the administration has displayed the attendance periodically. They even write to the parents of students who have issues with their attendance, she said. AISA plans to present a memorandum to the V- C with their demands if the university chose not to act, he said.