Attendance Shortage Pardon Fee Turn Costlier In AP

Universities are busy with their examination preparations and also this is a season where many students face the problem of Attendance shortage and as a result may not get their hall tickets in time, while some a are asked to pay more for it.

The situation is the same in AP at the Osmania University (OU) and JNTU (Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University). Students are being forced to pay Rs. 5000-10000 as a pardon fee for shortage in attendance. Students who were frustrated with this are now complaining against these universities.

According to the university rules, students with more than 75% to 80% will be given hall tickets and allowed to take up exams. Others will be barred from writing exams until they prove the reason of their leaves either by a medical certificate and has a logical explanation for the shortage in attendance.

Though Osmania University has a fixed amount of Rs.550 some of the students had to pay Rs. 5000. But, in case of JNTU, the fee is fixed between Rs. 500 and Rs. 2000, which differs on the percentage of attendance shortage.

Despite the rule, these colleges are charging upto Rs. 10,000 for granting reprieve and letting the students sit for the examination. Some students were also charged 'Hall Ticket Fee' ranging between Rs. 2000 and Rs. 3000 which is not mandatory in both of these universities.

Under graduate examinations of colleges affiliated to Osmania University (OU) started on March 22 and JNTU examinations will begin in May.

Under graduate students in city colleges said they were not given any receipt for the money they paid the college hence, it is illegal. While no receipts were given to several students, some were even asked to contribute towards the college development fund.

While some complaints have reached the affiliating varsities regarding these illegal money deals, officials said they will take action once an enquiry is done on the matter.

JNTU authorities said they have already kept a watch on some colleges to prevent such incidents. N V Ramana Rao, registrar of JNTU-Hyderabad said that no specific complaint implicating any particular college has come to him."We have strict instructions to take action against colleges which charge more than the prescribed fee from students," he added.

An official from OU examination branch said "Once the university issues hall tickets, the colleges cannot withhold the same. If students have acute attendance shortage the university does not issue them hall tickets."

However, the colleges ruled out saying that they have not charges any extra amounts from students other than what was mandated by the affiliating institutes.