NM students bank on IDOL

Two hundred and twenty undergraduate students of Narsee Monjee (NM) College, who were barred from appearing for their semester exams by the college authorities for failing to attend the required percentage of classes, are pinning their hopes on a distance education institute to allow them to complete their degree course. They are now waiting for a decision from the Institute of Distance Open Learning (IDOL) in this regard. A decision is expected later this week.

On September 30, around 220 BCom students of the college belonging to the first, second and final year, were debarred from taking their semester exams due to less than 50 per cent attendance records. All the students and their parents met Vice Chancellor (VC) Rajan Welukar on the same day and requested him to give them a second chance, on the basis of a joint undertaking that they would make up for the attendance shortfall in the next semester. But he did not relent. Though the examination of FYBCom and SYBCom students have already started, the final year students are hopeful as their exams are starting from October 21.

A TYBCom student told SUNDAY MiD DAY, "We met the higher education minister who said he is bound by law. We also met the trustees of the college but haven't got any response." Another student said, "We have no option but to approach IDOL now."u00a0D Harichandan, professor and the university's in-charge of Director of Distance Education, said, "The IDOL admissions got over on September 15. But our VC has suggested that we give a chance to the debarred students to get admission there between October 10 and 15. At present, it is just a proposal. A final date of admission will be announced soon."