Help desk hobbled by unwanted pleas

Mumbai: When the University of Mumbai (MU) came up with the idea of ‘help desk’, the idea was to quickly provide students their  ‘confidential mark sheet’ that will help them with obtaining admissions at universities abroad or within the country. However, the varsity officials now complain that since last week, a majority of students approaching the help desk do so not for obtaining the mark sheet for further studies but for job-related emergencies. Officials said that because of all these unwanted applications, the genuine applications are overlooked.

When a student contacts the help desk team for his/her confidential mark sheet, the application is put on a ‘priority tray’. The answer sheets on these tray show up on the computer of the respected teachers where they have to assess this answer paper first and then proceed with the remaining answer sheets. However, because of too many applicants’ answer sheets being put on the priority tray, the genuinely important ones are left behind.

An official on the condition of anonymity told The Asian Age, “Because of massive publicity that the help desk has got through various mediums, even students who want to get upgradation on their job position are coming to us to get their mark sheet. The least we can ask them is to wait as we can’t reject their application. However because of such cases, the needy ones’ applications are pushed behind.” Upgradation refers to promotion in employment.

Another official said, “Help desk has been set up mainly for those students whose admissions are on hold at other universities.”