In a landmark move, the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad — popularly known as IIT Dhanbad — has scrapped the decades-old rule that required a minimum of 75 per cent attendance to be eligible for semester examinations.
What Does It Mean for Students of IIT Dhanbad
Starting from the 2025–26 academic year, IIT Dhanbad students will no longer face penalties or restrictions if they fall short of the 75% attendance requirement. They will now be allowed to appear for exams in their registered courses irrespective of classroom presence. This is a major shift in academic regulations, as attendance has always been considered a key criterion for exam eligibility in most higher education institutions in India.
For students, the change means fewer worries about missing classes due to valid reasons such as internships, research projects, or even health issues. Many felt that strict attendance norms were becoming a barrier to opportunities outside the classroom. With this relaxation, IIT Dhanbad has signaled a more flexible and progressive approach to higher education.
Although the new rule removes attendance as a penalty factor, it does not completely eliminate the process of recording it. Instructors at IIT Dhanbad will continue to mark attendance digitally, with teaching assistants maintaining the records. The data will remain available for reference but will no longer influence a student’s eligibility for examinations.
This balance ensures that classroom participation is still tracked, while at the same time allowing students the freedom to pursue self-paced learning and real-world experiences without the looming pressure of a 75% cut-off.
Impact on PhD Scholars and Fellowship Duties
The IIT Dhanbad attendance policy has also been extended to PhD scholars, who often juggle coursework along with their research. They too can now benefit from the relaxation in attendance requirements for coursework. However, the institute has clarified that fellowship- and assistantship-related duties remain compulsory. This means stipends and financial aid will still be tied to departmental practices and the fulfillment of academic responsibilities.
In simple terms, while PhD scholars at IIT Dhanbad can enjoy more flexibility in classroom attendance, they must continue meeting their research, teaching, or lab-related commitments to receive stipends and fellowships.
Even though classroom attendance has been relaxed, hostel regulations at IIT Dhanbad remain unchanged. Students living in hostels are still required to inform their wardens in writing before staying out overnight. This measure ensures accountability and safety, reinforcing that the relaxation applies only to academic attendance and not to campus discipline.
For years, students at IIT Dhanbad had been urging the administration to review the strict attendance requirements. Many argued that with the rising importance of research projects, internships, hackathons, and industrial training, attendance-based penalties were outdated and unnecessary. The administration’s latest decision shows that it has taken student voices seriously, marking a historic step in aligning academic policies with the evolving needs of learners.
A Shift Towards Flexible Learning Across IITs?
The decision has sparked conversations across the IIT network and beyond. With IIT Dhanbad taking the lead, the question remains whether other IITs will follow the same path. The higher education community has been increasingly focusing on outcomes such as innovation, skill-building, and research rather than strict classroom hours.
Adding to this, University Grants Commission (UGC) Secretary Manish Joshi recently remarked in Pune that the UGC itself could review and possibly relax the 75% attendance guideline for higher education institutions in India. If such a policy shift takes place, it could bring a wave of reforms, not just in IITs but across universities and colleges nationwide.
For students, the removal of the IIT Dhanbad 75% attendance rule is not only a relief but also an opportunity to explore learning beyond traditional boundaries. For the institute, it is a bold statement that academic excellence does not necessarily depend on strict attendance norms but on fostering an environment that values self-paced and meaningful education.