Meeting Sibal not fruitful, say architecture students

NEW DELHI - A group of architecture students, who met Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal Tuesday after being barred from writing exams for falling short in attendance, said their 20-minute interaction was not fruitful.

“It was a brief meeting. It really did not help much. We were expecting more out of the meeting,” Virkein Dhar, one of the students of Delhi’s School of Planning and Architecture who met Sibal at his house here, told IANS.

She added: “We realised that the whole matter can only be sorted out by the director of our college.”

According to another student, Avinav Malhotra, Sibal spoke to the director of their college over the phone in front of them, asking for some leniency.

“He asked the director if anything can be done to allow them to sit for the exams. Even a five percent leniency will be a great help but to no avail,” Malhotra added.

The students told Sibal that putting the entire blame on them was not fair.

“We have certain questions to ask the director. If we have to repeat another year, we will. But he also needs to be clear on certain matters,” he said.

One parent accompanied the students to Sibal’s residence.

The students are trying to get another appointment with the minister to find some solution to their problem.

They have also filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court for being allowed to appear for the exams.

Over 100 students have been barred from appearing in the exams.

The institute witnessed protests by students Monday because many were prevented from giving the exams after falling short of the 75 percent required attendance.

The exams for third year students started Monday while those for first and second year began Tuesday.

The institute says it is only executing a 2001 Union Grants Commission regulation which makes 75 percent attendance mandatory for students to sit for the exams.