St Stephen's attendance row: College grants one-time exam permission to defaulters after student outcry

New Delhi [India], June 12 (ANI): After widespread appeals from students and parents, Delhi's St Stephen's College on Thursday granted a one-time permission to first-year students who were earlier barred from appearing in their semester exams due to attendance shortages.
As per the students, Principal Prof. John Varghese confirmed that students falling short of the mandatory 66.67% cumulative attendance for Semesters I and II will now be allowed to sit for their exams on June 13, 2025.
ANI reached out to Principal John Varghese, but he did not respond to calls.
This decision was made following the Junior Member's representations to the Grievance Redressal Committee and subsequent approval by the committee.
"The Principal grants a one-time permission for Junior Members who have fallen short of the required 66.67%... to take their exam on 13th June 2025," the notice assessed by ANI stated.
The notice adds that students must submit an affidavit pledging that they "will not seek any concession from the required semester-based attendance henceforth and for the duration of my stay and study in college."
The administration clarified that students who cannot avail this exemption now may write the seven detained papers in their second year.
The college confirmed -- following a direct call with Delhi University -- that students are eligible for promotion to the second year if they pass at least 50% of their papers.
The controversy began on June 4 when the college released a detained list of 54 first-year students who had not met the attendance threshold. Students and parents alleged that many of them had valid reasons, including medical emergencies, family crises, participation in official events, and the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
A group identifying themselves as "Concerned Students of St Stephen's" said affected students were denied a proper hearing and were treated with "hostility and intimidation." They claim the Principal left campus for ten days following the notice, leaving them with no authority to approach.
"Our parents travelled from different cities and waited outside the Principal's office from 8 am to 4 pm, only to be yelled at and denied even a few minutes of meeting," said a joint statement from the group.
One student reportedly suffered a panic attack during an interaction with college security and was allegedly denied medical assistance.
Criticising what they called "arbitrary and inconsistent" attendance rules, students also pointed out that the Vice Principal post has been vacant for nearly a decade -- a vacuum they say has crippled grievance redressal.
"This is not the first time. Last year, over 100 students were punished for missing morning assemblies. There is a pattern," they said.
The students are now demanding a formal apology, the restoration of departmental attendance review systems, and greater transparency in administrative decisions. (ANI)