Coming soon: Toll-free helpline at MU

Kanchan Srivastava

Come September 1, and the thousands of students inquiring with the University of Mumbai about little yet all-important bits of information, ranging from hall tickets to mark-sheets, will be guided by toll-free helplines. For, the university will by then have set up a facilitation centre, which will guide and give critical information to students from five districts across the state, all over phone. Confirming the move, director of examination Subhash Deo told DNA, “The idea is to set up a facilitation centre, which will be equipped with five computers, helplines and staff, so that queries of the students appearing for the October examinations can be attended to.” After an analysis of the pilot, a full-fledged and permanent facilitation centre will be launched, he added. For now, the centre will have all the information pertaining to the October exams. No surprise then that both students and professors welcomed the varsity’s move. A Thane-based MCom student said, “We badly need the helpline as we have to visit the Kalina campus for every little inquiry, after spending three-four hours in commuting followed by at least two hours in the inquiry queue. The process is repeated on every visit till we finally get our correct mark-sheet or any other document. I hope it does not remain on paper.” HoD of Civics and Politics, Prof Surendra Jondhale, seconded the student, saying, “Every day, I get a dozen calls about forms, fees or mark-sheet. Both students and parents are often clueless about whom to call for a particular problem and a helpline would end all that.” Source::: DNA,  Jul 25, 2012, p.07.  http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?pgNo=7&edcode=820009&eddate=2012-7-25