Attendance Requirements & Exam Eligibility: Don't Skip Those Classes!

Posted by: Dr Singh
Category: Academic Excellence
Read Time: 8 minutes

Introduction

"I'll just miss today's class and catch up later." That decision might cost you your entire semester. PAU has strict attendance requirements that can make or break your academic year. This post explains why attendance matters, what the requirements are, and what happens if you don't meet them.

Why Attendance Matters

University Perspective

Attendance requirements serve important purposes:

Ensures learning continuity - Regular class attendance helps you grasp concepts progressively
Maintains academic standards - In-person interaction with instructors ensures quality education
Discipline and professionalism - Teaches time management and responsibility
Accountability - Tracks student engagement in their education

Your Perspective

Regular attendance directly impacts:

Better grades - Students who attend regularly score higher
Deeper understanding - Hearing explanations directly from instructors clarifies confusion
Practical skills - Lab and practical classes teach hands-on techniques
Networking - Building relationships with faculty and classmates
Exam eligibility - You literally cannot sit for exams if attendance is low

Attendance Requirements by Level

For Undergraduate Students

Minimum required attendance: 75% in each course

What this means:

If a course has 40 classes, you must attend at least 30 (75% of 40)
If a course has 60 classes, you must attend at least 45 (75% of 60)

Special courses:

Experiential Learning Programme (ELP) courses: 85% minimum attendance
Higher requirement because these are hands-on, skill-based courses

Both count:

Lectures (theory classes)
Practicals/lab sessions

You cannot just attend lectures and skip practicals—both must meet the 75% threshold separately for most courses.

For Postgraduate Students

Minimum required attendance: 80% in each course

What this means:

Higher standard than undergraduates
If a course has 40 classes, you must attend at least 32 (80% of 40)
Professional expectation for advanced studies

Both count:

Lectures and seminars
Lab work and research sessions

Consequences of Low Attendance

You Cannot Appear in Exams

If your attendance falls below the minimum:

You are barred from appearing in end-of-semester exams
For both theory and practical exams
No excuses, no extensions

This is the most severe consequence—missing exams automatically results in failing the course.

Automatic Course Failure

If you can't sit for exams:

You get an F grade (Fail)
Zero credit points
Must retake the course
Affects your GPA

For Research Credits (Postgrad Students)

If your attendance in research falls below 80%:

You receive US grade (Unsatisfactory)
Research credits don't count toward graduation
Must continue and improve next semester

How Attendance is Tracked

Attendance Register

Each instructor maintains:

Daily attendance register or roll sheet
Physical or digital records
Notes about absences

Students are responsible for:

Signing or confirming attendance
Being present at roll call time
Notifying instructor of valid absences

Mid-Semester Report

During week 11 (mid-semester exam time):

Instructors report attendance to the Dean
Names of students below 75% (undergrad) or 80% (postgrad) are flagged
Low attendance students are notified
You still have time to improve attendance after mid-semester report

Monitoring by Faculty

Your instructor:

Notes pattern of absences
May contact you about frequent missing
Can recommend dropping a course if attendance drops critically
Reports to advisor and Dean

Valid Reasons for Absence

Medically Approved Absences

With medical certificate:

Illness (even 1-2 days, if certified)
Medical emergencies
Hospitalization
Doctor-prescribed rest

Acceptable certificates from:

University Medical Officer / CMO
Civil Hospital
Recognized private hospitals
Senior Medical Officer at PAU Hospital
Assistant Civil Surgeon

How to proceed:

Get medical certificate from recognized source
Inform your instructor
Submit to Dean's office
May be exempted from that day's attendance count

University-Deputed Absences

You can be absent for university-approved activities:

Sports events - Tournaments, coaching camps
Cultural events - University-organized festivals, competitions
NCC/NSS/NSO activities - Camps and training programs
Academic activities - Field research, conferences, seminars
Inter-university competitions - AUP federations events

Requirements:

Must be officially deputed by the university
Director of Students' Welfare provides authentication
Advance notice to instructors preferred
Provide official deputation letter to Dean

Other Legitimate Absences

Family emergencies (rare cases):

Death in immediate family
Critical family medical emergency
Legal requirements (court appearances)

How to handle:

Notify Dean immediately
Provide documentation if required
May not be automatically excused—Dean decides
Usually limited to 1-2 days

What's NOT a Valid Reason

Personal vacation or travel plans
Job interview (not during university time)
Part-time work schedule conflict
Shopping or errands
Birthday or celebration
Weather inconvenience
Oversleeping

Managing Your Attendance

Calculate Your Current Attendance

Formula: Classes attended ÷ Total classes held = Attendance %

Example:

Attended: 36 classes
Total held: 50 classes
Your attendance: 36 ÷ 50 = 72% (BELOW 75% requirement!)

Red Flags: When Attendance Gets Critical

If you're at:

75-80%: WARNING! You're just barely meeting requirements. One or two more absences could disqualify you
70-74%: CRITICAL! You're below minimum and cannot take exams unless you attend every remaining class
Below 70%: In danger of failing—attend every single class remaining in the semester

Plan to Maintain Attendance

At the start of semester:

Mark all class times on your calendar
Plan your schedule around classes
Identify potential conflicts early
Discuss with your advisor

Each week:

Check your attendance status
Plan to attend upcoming classes
Notify instructors in advance if you'll be absent
Keep copies of medical/deputation certificates

At mid-semester:

Review attendance report from instructors
Calculate your percentage in each course
If below threshold, increase attendance immediately
Talk to instructors about any issues

Handling Conflicts

If you have a work conflict:

Discuss with employer—explain university requirement
Request schedule adjustment
Ask for days off around class times

If you have a medical issue:

Get certificates immediately
Provide to Dean's office
May be able to get attendance exemption

If instructor is unavailable:

Attend when available
Notify about schedule change
Document your attendance efforts

Special Situations

Practical/Lab Attendance is Mandatory

Practicals are not optional:

You cannot skip practical sessions to attend other classes
Both theory and practical must meet minimum attendance
Missing practicals affects your grade even if theory attendance is fine
Practicals teach hands-on skills that lectures cannot

If you have a schedule conflict with practical:

Contact your department head immediately
Request an alternative practical slot
Some departments offer multiple practical sessions
Don't assume you can skip

Research Attendance (Postgraduate Students)

Research work requires 80% attendance:

Show up to lab/field work regularly
Maintain research notebook
Participate in group meetings
Communicate progress to advisor

Low research attendance results in:

US (Unsatisfactory) grade
Credits don't count for graduation
Must continue research next semester

Make-Up Classes

If your class is rescheduled:

Attend the rescheduled session
It counts the same as regular class
Instructor will inform you in advance

If you missed the original class:

Request from instructor to sit in another section's class
Get signature/confirmation from that instructor
Submit to your original instructor

What to Do If Your Attendance Drops

Immediate Action Plan

Step 1: Check Your Attendance (Week 5-6)

Calculate attendance in each course
Identify courses where you're below 75%/80%

Step 2: Talk to Your Instructor

Explain your situation
Ask for their input
Ask if there are make-up attendance options

Step 3: Meet Your Advisor

Review why attendance dropped
Discuss course difficulty
Consider dropping a course
Plan for recovery

Step 4: Communicate with Dean

If you have medical issues, provide certificates
If you have valid reasons, explain to Dean
Request help or exceptions

Step 5: Attend Every Remaining Class

Commit to 100% attendance going forward
No more absences if possible
Focus on improving your standing

After Mid-Semester Report

The mid-semester report (week 11) shows:

Your attendance in each course
Courses where you're below minimum
Warning from your instructor if needed

Use this as a wake-up call:

You still have 10 weeks of semester left (usually)
Attend all remaining classes in problem courses
Prioritize courses where you're critically low

Exceptions and Appeals

Can Attendance Requirements Be Waived?

Rare exceptions include:

Extended medical hospitalization (requires documentation)
Death in immediate family (documentation needed)
University emergency (official letter from administration)

Process:

Contact your Dean immediately
Provide complete documentation
Dean submits request to Academic Council
Council decides if exception warranted
Decision communicated to you

Outcome:

Usually NOT waived, but course may be deferred
You might register for the course again in a later semester
You don't fail, but you don't complete the course either

What If I Disagree with Attendance Count?

If you believe attendance was recorded incorrectly:

Ask your instructor to verify the record
Check your own attendance register entry
If discrepancy exists, request correction
Get written confirmation from instructor
Submit to Dean's office

Timeline matters:

Raise discrepancies early in semester
Don't wait until you've failed
Keep your own attendance records

Attendance Best Practices

Be Organized

Add class times to phone calendar with reminders
Print your schedule and post it
Know your classroom locations
Plan commute time

Communicate Proactively

Tell instructors if you'll be absent
Provide medical certificates immediately
Email dean if you have recurring issues
Don't wait until it's too late

Take Responsibility

You control whether you attend
Don't blame others for your absence
Treat classes as professional commitments
Respect instructors' time

Build Accountability

Study with classmates who attend regularly
Join study groups
Share class notes with peers
Stay connected to academic community

Use Resources

Talk to your advisor if you're struggling
Visit university counseling for personal issues
Use health services for medical problems
Reach out to Dean if you need help

Common Excuses That DON'T Work

Excuse	Why It Won't Work	What You Should Do
"I overslept"	Personal responsibility	Set alarm earlier, use multiple reminders
"I didn't feel like going"	Not a valid reason	Attend anyway; classes aren't optional
"My friend was sick"	Not your responsibility	Attend your classes; you can help after
"I had a job interview"	Can be scheduled around classes	Plan interviews during free time
"The weather was bad"	Part of being a student	Plan commute early or take transport
"I forgot there was class"	Your responsibility	Check schedule regularly
"The instructor is boring"	Not valid	Attend anyway; focus on content, not style
"My parents needed me"	Discuss with Dean	Handle urgent issues, attend class otherwise

Key Takeaways

75% minimum for undergraduates; 80% for postgraduates
Low attendance = barred from exams = automatic failure
Attendance includes both theory and practicals
Medical certificates and deputation letters are your only excuses
Mid-semester report is your warning system
Plan your schedule around classes from day one
Communicate with instructors and dean if issues arise
Don't skip classes thinking you'll catch up later

Attendance Calculation Tool

Quick calculation:

Total classes held: ____
Classes attended: ____
Attendance % = (Classes attended ÷ Total classes) × 100
Your % = ____

Compare to requirement:

Undergraduates need: 75%
Postgraduates need: 80%
Are you meeting the requirement? YES / NO

If NO:

Maximum allowed absences = Total classes × 0.25 (for undergrad)
OR = Total classes × 0.20 (for postgrad)
You have ___ absences allowed before disqualification

For More Help:

Your Instructor (first point of contact)
Your Academic Advisor
Your Dean's office
Director of Students' Welfare

Disclaimer: This is a simplified guide based on PAU's official Semester & Hostel Rules 2025-26. For complete details, refer to official university documents or contact the Dean's office.

Last Updated: October 2025

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Saturday, October 11, 2025