Latest update:25 January 2026 at 08:00 IST

The college’s notification making attendance on Republic Day mandatory, with a fine of Rs 5,000 for absence, has sparked outrage online.

The students wondered whether these rules belonged in higher education at all. (representational image)

A post about the college notice sparked a strong reaction among students online. The post questions whether colleges should enforce attendance on national holidays and punish students for staying away. What started as a single screenshot quickly turned into a broader discussion about censorship, fines, and how adult students are treated in higher education. Many readers said the situation felt familiar and shared similar experiences from their colleges.

The post also reflects the common frustration among students who feel they are still treated like school children.

College notice leaves students in shock

The post was shared by a Reddit user with the title “Are we still in school??” Along with the post, the user uploaded a photo of a notification sent by his college. The notification directs all students to join the college on January 26, Republic Day. It clearly states that attendance is compulsory and students who fail to attend will be fined Rs 5,000. He also adds that no excuses will be accepted.

The image shows a short but strict message, without explaining why attendance is mandatory or what type of program is planned.

Student questions: Forced attendance and fines

In the comment, the user expressed his frustration with the request. “So our college has just dropped a notification that attendance on January 26 (Republic Day) is mandatory and if you don’t attend, you will be fined Rs 5,000. No excuses. No context. Just come or pay,” he wrote. The user then asked: Are we still in school or what? He said college shouldn’t feel like a “morning assembly filled with threats.”

The user also wondered why participation was not voluntary or meaningful rather than forced. He noted that many students travel home, work part-time, or have real reasons for absence, but he said the notice ignored all of that.

Check out the post here:

Reddit users react with anger, jokes and advice

Within a few hours, the post had exceeded 1,300 upvotes and attracted numerous comments. “I hate when college treats students like school kids. Stop it. I’m done with this. We’re all adults here,” one user wrote.

Another said: “They can’t do that. You can register a complaint about that.” Others reacted with humor or called the fine unfair, while some simply said it seemed like another way to make money.

Read more