Not allowed for exam, student takes his life

SRIKAKULAM: An Intermediate first year student, upset that college authorities took back his hall-ticket, committed suicide on Thursday. However, the incident came to light only on Friday.R Kumara Swami, 16, a BiPC student at the Government Junior College, Patapatnam, consumed a pesticide when the college refused to allow him to sit for the public examinations saying he did not have the required 60 percent attendance.Kumara Swami was found in an unconscious state in Parlakhemundi, a border town in Odisha, and admitted to hospital by the police. He died while undergoing treatment. Kumara Swami, who hails from Tampa hamlet of Hiramandalam mandal in Srikakulam district, left home on Wednesday morning after receiving a phone call from the college asking him to bring his hall-ticket.T Appala Naidu, in-charge principal of the college, who took charge only on February 29,  directed the college staff that no science candidate shall have the hall-ticket unless class attendance is 60 percent. Following this, college staff asked students with less than the required attendance to rush to the college. The hall-tickets of 54 students, including Kumara Swami’s, were taken back by college authorities.Upset by this, Kumara Swami reportedly consumed a pesticide. When he did not return by night, his parents, R Appa Rao and Savitri, thought he might have stayed at a friend’s place for preparation for the examinations. The tragic news was conveyed to them by the police.When contacted, Appala Naidu said that as many as 54 students were found ineligible to sit for the examinations as they have less than 60 percent attendance as required by the Board of Intermediate guidelines. While arts students can pay a special fee and obtain hall-tickets if attendance is less than 60 percent, science students have no such option,he added.