A student of Calcutta University reportedly committed suicide on Saturday after she failed to clear her Part I exam, the results of which were published on 25 January, even as state education minister Partha Chatterjee expressed concern on the sharp dip in the percentage of success in the university’s BA. Part I exams.

A B.Sc(hons) student, Parna Dutta of New Alipore college allegedly took her own life after failing to clear her Part I exam. Her mother Seema Dutta said there was so much delay in publishing the results and she was about to appear for the next exam when the results came as a rude shock. “Had she known that she hadn’t passed in due course of time, she might have been able to cope with her failure,” Mrs Dutta lamented.

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However, not just Parna but a large section of students, could not clear Part I exam, this year. The pass percentage of students appearing in new regulations for B.A Part I exam had drastically reduced, The Statesman had reported on 27 January.

Concerned at the poor performance of the Part one students of Calcutta University, state higher education minister, Partha Chatterjee said that a meeting of the university’s vice-chancellor, pro vice-chancellor (academic) and other senior offiicials was convened on Monday.

“I have heard that change in the university’s policy has led to this debacle but I want to discuss the matter with the senior officials ,” he said.

In the new regulation, a student has to clear two out of three general papers to be promoted. The back-log could be cleared by appearing for a supplementary exam later. While several students have cleared their hons papers, they were held back as they could not secure pass marks for two of the general papers.

“The state government does not wish to interfere into the internal affairs of the university, but cannot overlook the students’ interest,” the minister said.

“If the students have fared badly owing to a change of the university’s policy, then I seek to know whether such change was properly communicated to them,” he said.

“Of course, there will be a fallout if classes are not regularly attended, the minister said. But how is it that some students have done well in the honours paper, but failed in pass subjects,” he asked.

They are busy with other work while the Left wing ones are trying to find ways to topple the government, the minister said when asked whether the students’ organisations have got in touch with him.

“That is why I have to talk the university authorities to get to the root of the reason behind the students not performing up to their potential,” he said.

Meanwhile, the students wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad ( ABVP) on Saturday held a sit-in demonstration outside the university protesting against the new regulation of the university which led to several students failing in Part I exam despite scoring high in honours papers.