Vice-principal of Kolkata college ‘forced’ to resign; ABVP ‘purifies’ her office

The Surendranath Law College in Kolkata announced that its Vice‑Principal, Mohammadi Tarannum, submitted her resignation following a prolonged sit‑in by students who demanded strict enforcement of a 70% attendance requirement for semester examinations. The protest, organized by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), escalated into a 23‑hour gherao that confined the vice‑principal to her office, turned off lights and fans, and ended with police escorting her out of the campus.

The standoff began on Friday, September 11, and lasted through the night. Tarannum alleged that she was forced to stay in her room and that the students’ actions left her feeling ill and unsafe. She cited a request for intervention to Kaustav Bagchi, the minister‑in‑charge of the Department of Higher Education, who affirmed the Bar Council of India’s 70% attendance rule but questioned the college’s lack of a proper attendance register. ABVP spokesperson Ananta Barui hailed the resignation as a triumph for student rights, while a first‑year law student, Veenit Sharma, described a ritual of sprinkling Ganga Jal and lighting incense to “purify” the space.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions over attendance policies in Indian higher‑education institutions, especially where administrative systems are perceived as inadequate. Critics pointed to alleged political favoritism during the previous Trinamool Congress government, suggesting that attendance records were previously manipulated for party supporters. The resignation may prompt a review of attendance monitoring mechanisms and raise questions about the role of student political groups in campus governance.