Why does IIT Madras have 85% attendance criteria?

Because of the advent of Internet facilities, students tend to skip classes and spend time gaming or involving in other online activities.

Initially, there were no attendance criteria at IIT Madras because there were no distractions like the internet and the attendance rate thus was satisfactory. But with increasing internet facilities, students stay up late gaming and then miss classes. This affected the overall performance of the institute and thus these attendance policies came into the picture.

IIT Madras has a strict attendance policy of 85% which ensures that students are 

• Regularly attending classes and staying on track with their coursework. 
• Fully engaged with their studies and are taking advantage of the educational opportunities provided by the university. 
• Prepared for the future and to have a competitive edge in the job market
• Able to keep up with the pace of classes and not fall behind.

The Institute despite providing 24/7 Internet facilities expects the students to attend classes regularly and stay aware of the coursework.