Students at the helm

‘No parent should have to wait in line for more than five minutes’. That is the motto of the HR College student council that handles degree college admissions. Inspired by the McDonald’s motto, these college students spend the admission months ensuring that the process is smooth.

‘No parent should have to wait in line for more than five minutes’. That is the motto of the HR College student council that handles degree college admissions. Inspired by the McDonald’s motto, these college students spend the admission months ensuring that the process is smooth.

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Across colleges in the city, student council members are handling the degree college admissions this year. From sale of forms to final admissions, these students are the workforce that does the grueling administrative work.

HR College and Jai Hind College in Churchgate, Hinduja College at Charni Road and DG Ruparel College in Matunga are a few of the top colleges that have student volunteers handling the whole process for both degree and junior college admissions.

“Our college has empowered us to conduct the admissions because it ensures transparency and teaches us management lessons as well,” said Rudreshwar Malkani, assistant secretary of the student council of HR College. “From setting up counters for sale and collection of forms to physically putting up the merit lists and helping applicants with documentation, our 60 student volunteers do everything.”

While students handle the administrative work, faculty supervises the cut-offs and merit lists at all colleges.

Principals feel that even the applicants benefit from the system. “Our students even guide applicants with what courses to choose. Applicants are more comfortable with them because they are from the same age group,” said Tukaram Shiware, principal, Hinduja College.

At Jai Hind College, degree college admissions are a meticulous four-phase process done by a select group of second year students. While HR College works towards reducing waiting time, at Jai Hind the student council plans various activities so that students are not bored while they wait their turn and they also get a feel of the campus culture.

“We also use the admissions as a platform to promote our intercollegiate festival, Talash, one of the biggest undergraduate management festivals in the country,” said Poonish Navlani, who is in charge of the degree college admissions. “It is on-field training for us and the whole month is so hectic that it is almost like an internship.”

But is the hard work without any recognition?

“We hand out certificates to our student volunteers. Also, the faculty is very supporting and appreciative. For example, during the rains, volunteers at admission counters get wet, so the college has given each of us a raincoat,” said Malkani.