UP Board, formally known as the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP), is launching a career counselling helpline for high school and intermediate students spread across the state’s 75 districts.
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The toll-free career counselling helpline for students from Grades IX to XII would be operational from Monday to Friday every week and the initiative is being launched on Wednesday (September 2), said Divyakant Shukla, secretary, UP Board.
He said the helpline numbers -- 18001805310 and 18001805312 -- would remain functional on these days between 11 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 4pm.
Though primarily meant for 12.5 million students from Grades IX to XII in over 28,000 schools affiliated to the UP Board, the weekly service would not be denied to any student, who calls up on the helpline even if the student belonged to another educational board, he added.
Shukla has deputed the board’s 12 research assistants for manning these helpline numbers in shifts.
{{/usCountry}}Shukla has deputed the board’s 12 research assistants for manning these helpline numbers in shifts.
{{/usCountry}}“These research assistants will note down on a register the brief description of the students seeking counselling, their queries and the career advice given to each one of them. One of the board’s additional secretary has been designated as the nodal officer of this service for supervision and effective compliance,” Shukla said..
A mechanism has been put in place by the UP Board, which is considered to be among the largest examination bodies in the world, for an effective monitoring of the new service.
The nodal officer will submit a report to Shukla on the performance of the helpline numbers and the response received from students every week.
Shukla said experts from the Prayagraj-based Bureau of Psychology would also be sought to make this initiative a success.
The helpline will offer information to students about the choice of subjects being offered by the UP Board at high school and intermediate levels and their respective career prospects.
The UP Board had also launched a helpline during this year’s high school and intermediate examinations. The facility was a bid to help the candidates cope with stress and phobia related to the examinations.