For months, students at UPES have been struggling under rigid attendance rules that do not reflect the realities we face. Instead of supporting students, the recently announced “one-time” 5% attendance relaxation has created more inequality and confusion.

 

This policy is highly discriminatory because it only benefits a very small group—event participants, sports/cultural representatives, and a few medical/bereavement cases—while ignoring the genuine hardships of the majority of students.

 

Thousands of us face real challenges every day, including:

 

Financial difficulties
Mental health issues
Chronic illnesses not requiring hospitalization
Family responsibilities
Long and unsafe commutes
Bridge collapse disruptions (Nanda ki Chowki)
Attendance portal glitches and administrative lapses

 

 

But none of these valid reasons have been considered.

 

By declaring that attendance will never be relaxed below 65%, the university has effectively abandoned students who genuinely need help the most. This decision has left many of us anxious, stressed, and unsure about our academic future.

 

Attendance rules should protect learning—not punish students for circumstances beyond their control.

 

Despite shortcomings from the university’s side (portal issues, delays, errors in attendance updating), students have always supported UPES and represented it with pride.

Today, we are simply asking our university to support us in return.

 

 

 

 

 

 

📢 What We Are Demanding

 

 

 

 

1. Uniform attendance relaxation to 60% for ALL students.

 

 

 

A true one-time relief must be equal and inclusive. No student should be left behind.

 

 

 

2. Removal of the clause preventing students from approaching higher authorities.

 

 

 

This is undemocratic and restricts students’ right to seek fair redressal.

 

 

 

3. Full attendance for online classes conducted due to the Nanda ki Chowki Bridge collapse.

 

 

 

Students should not be penalized for attending university-conducted virtual classes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

💬 Why This Matters

 

 

 

We are not asking for leniency—we are asking for fairness.

We are asking for a compassionate policy that acknowledges the challenges faced by thousands of UPES students.

 

UPES has always encouraged leadership and integrity.

Now we urge the university to uphold those same values by standing with its students in this crucial moment.

 

No student should be denied exams because of an inflexible and discriminatory policy.

 

We deserve fairness. We deserve equal treatment.

We deserve a chance to complete our education without unnecessary fear or stress.