‘No Leaves For Teachers If They Don’t Mark Student Attendance’, JNU Administration Takes Tough Stance

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration is denying leave to those teachers who are either not marking their own attendance or failing to submit attendance records of their students, Indian Express has reported.

JNU administration, earlier, had made 75 per cent attendance compulsory for its students for which it had to face a severe backlash from students and teachers of the university.

Some of the students had also filed a petition against the move in Delhi High Court where the matter is still sub-judice.

The university administration, despite the backlash, made marking attendance compulsory for the teachers.

JNU registrar Pramod Kumar, on 13 November, issued a circular, to make the move official.

The circular stated that leave requests of faculty members should be forwarded by deans and chairpersons of the department only after confirming that the concerned faculty member has “adhered to the attendance rules of the university and has been marking his/her attendance.”

“While forwarding request/ paper/proposal of faculties, it has to be ensured by the Deans of Schools/ Chairperson of Centres/Special Centres that the faculty concerned has been taking attendance of students as well.” stated the circular adding that without adhering to these norms no leave or any other request will be entertained.

JNU teachers’ association has called it an “arbitrary decision” adding that the circular was “without any lawful substance”.

“The Executive Council has adopted mandatory attendance; teachers not marking attendance are being denied leaves.” said Registrar, reiterating the circular.