Mumbai: In a first, the University of Mumbai (MU) has asked all its affiliated engineering students and colleges to confirm with the varsity if they receive any notice with a MU letterhead.
The varsity has received several complaints from the students and colleges about receiving fake notices and circulars with a MU letterhead, which has lead to confusion among them. These fake notices, which have reached the students, are mostly related to examination timetable, viva presentation dates, examination or academic fees, syllabus and schedule, etc. Students say these circulars look so real that even colleges fail to recognise if it is fake or real.
“Now recently we got a circular in a PDF format which was being circulated in WhatsApp group which had the dates of presentation and some fees. In the beginning we were all upset about the circular but we decided to follow it as it was from MU. Later is when we realised it is fake when an original circular was issued in the MU website,” said Mangesh Sakaria, a student from Vidyavihar-based engineering college. Aishwarya Patil, another student from a Bandra-based college said she received one circular that stated a change in the syllabus. “Like a week before the examination, some of us received a circular which said there is a revise in the syllabus. We were shocked as it had MU letterhead but later when our college confronted the varsity it was found that the circular was fake and no change was made by the university,” the student said.
According to MU sources, these lookalike circular is either being made by the students itself or any MU staff/teachers. “We have been receiving phone calls from colleges to confirm these which we too are unaware about. In any case, if there is any change in notice or dates, we upload it with clear letterhead and sign in the end in the MU official website. We never send to any student personally,” a senior official said. The official have asked to confirm it with the varsity if they receive any such notices or circulars before believing it or acting on it.
