‘Forced to quit’: Kolkata law college VP after night long gherao by students over attendance

The Vice principal of a reputed law college in Kolkata said she was “forced to resign” after protests by a section of students against the criterion of 75 percent attendance for appearing in semester examinations. “According to bar council rules, one has to have 75 percent attendance to sit for the examination.

But many students lacked it. I told them that the matter will be discussed with the higher-ups. I told the students we will hold discussion with Calcutta University. However the students gheraoed me over Thursday night. They put pressure on me.

I was forced to tender my resignation,” Muhammadi Tarannum said on Friday afternoon. “I appeal to the chief minister and education minister to undertake a proper investigation and find out who is guilty. It should be probed whether the college has a transparent attendance system or not,” Tarannum said.

However in her resignation letter, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, she resigned due to “certain unavoidable family, health related and personal issues”. She claimed to have conveyed the matter to Governing Council chairman Kaustav Bagchi, the Higher Education Department and the Calcutta University demanding intervention to resolve the impasse but “none came forward”.

The dispute started on Wednesday when the college issued a circular stating that 75% attendance in classes is mandatory for examination. The issue subsequently escalated over the filling up of examination forms. On Thursday, a section of students staged a protest and then gheraoed Tarannum.

The gherao continued over Thursday night amid slogans demanding her resignation. On Thursday, Bagchi held a meeting with students and administration but failed to end the impasse. According to sources, one of the solutions sought was to allow students with marginal drop from 75% attendance be allowed to sit for exams after giving self declaration.

But no consensus was reached. “It is true that 75 percent attendance is needed and five percent may be considered. I held talks with the students and learnt that there were anomalies in the attendance process. The issue should be amicably settled.

We are working towards that,” Bagchi said. Speaking to the media, one of the protesting students said, “A few months back the administration decided to start classes from 6 am. Earlier classes were held from 8 am. Some students missed classes due to this.

The attendance roster was also not maintained properly and the vice principal failed to show it. Attendance was sometimes registered using paper chits or through Whatsapp.” Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata.

With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata.

Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects.

Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010.

Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University.

Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India.

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