Union ministers to Unmukt's rescue

Ajay Maken and Kapil Sibal step in to assist the India U-19 captain who was failed by his college for poor attendance.

By Neha Pushkarna | Mail Today – Fri 31 Aug, 2012 11:34 AM IST

Unmukt ChandUNMUKT Chand’s visibly bright future in sports is in stark contrast with his academic prospects at St Stephen’s College. Unmukt is struggling to retain his seat, his sporting achievements notwithstanding.

MAIL TODAY was the first to report on Unmukt’s clash with the college, which told the Delhi High Court on August 16 that Unmukt failed his first year exams. According to college officials, he cannot be promoted as he scored a zero in the internal assessment and did not have enough attendance to see himself through. His future at St Stephen’s College is likely to be decided by the court on September 14.

HRD minister Kapil Sibal is understood to have spoken to the Delhi University vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh and said that Unmukt’s case should be considered as it is within the purview of the vice-chancellor. Unmukt had enrolled in the BA Programme course last year. He passed in three of the four papers in the first semester. He was not given an admit card to sit in the second semester exams as he had just eight per cent attendance.

He had to move the High court, following which he managed to sit for two out of the four papers.

"On August 16, the college informed the court that Unmukt couldn’t get through in his first year without giving any reasons. We have asked for his scorecard to know how they have arrived at the result. A student can be promoted if he clears four out of eight papers in a year,” said Unmukt’s counsel Bikash Kargupta.

The lawyer said that Unmukt scored 62 marks in English, 55 marks each in Hindi B and English (Disciplinary) out of a total of 75 marks in each paper. He was absent in the economics paper. "Unmukt is a bright student.

He had got 84 per cent in class X and 75 per cent in class XII at Modern School. If a college gives admission to a student under sports quota, it should be ready to give enough relaxation in attendance,” Kargupta said.

St. Stephen’s principal Valson Thampu could not be contacted on Thursday even as sources in the college alleged that Unmukt was being harassed for no reason.

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