Attendance Rules Force Sick Students to Miss Care, Trigger Protests

Divyanshi Yadav, a second‑year B.Sc. Nursing student at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, died of dengue on September 21, 2026, after being forced to attend college despite her illness. Protesters gathered outside the KGMU nursing department, demanding lenient attendance rules for sick students. Earlier, Subhangini, a 23‑year‑old first‑year nursing student at Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre, died of jaundice in September 2025 after her medical leave was denied and campus food and water quality were blamed. The older UGC 2003 rule set a universal 75 % attendance threshold, but the 2025 regulations shifted the decision to individual institutions. Most HEIs still require 75‑80 % attendance and allow a 10 % reduction for medical emergencies; medical colleges and engineering institutes often set higher marks. The Nursing Council of India mandates 80 % theory and 100 % practical attendance for nursing students. Several personal accounts illustrate the strain. Alex, a visually‑communication student in Hyderabad with transverse myelitis, was told to keep 75 % attendance or take a year off after a knee dislocation, despite doctors recommending a month’s rest. An interior‑design student in Noida reported that her medical documents were dismissed and she was advised to take amla. Jay, a B.A. English student in Delhi NCR, dropped out after chronic pain was not accepted as sufficient proof for leave. Tejasdeep Sehgal, a hearing‑impaired student in Haryana, missed classes when his hearing aid broke and could not produce a prescription. A Japanese‑department student at Jawaharlal Nehru University was asked to re‑apply for medical leave after a two‑week fever, leading to anxiety and an apology from the professor. Education scholar Sayan Chaudhuri warned that heavy documentation requirements create barriers and called for proactive teacher involvement.

Context

The clash between strict attendance policies and health emergencies highlights a systemic gap where institutional rules, rather than student wellbeing, determine academic progression.