Mumbai University plans day-care centre for children of senior students, faculty
The authorities also plan to extend the facility for children of postgraduate students and research students on the campus.
Now senior students and faculty working on the Mumbai University campus need not worry about their children while at work. The university is planning to set up a day-care centre for children of teaching and non-teaching staff. The authorities also plan to extend the facility for children of postgraduate students and research students on the campus.
The university’s women’s development cell is in the process of taking feedback from the employees. “The centre facilities will be extended to examiners who come on the campus for a few hours for evaluating papers.
Postgraduate students and students who come on the campus for research can also avail of the facility, once it is set up. Male faculty or students who do not have their spouses working for the university will also benefit from the system,” said Kranti Jejurkar, the chairperson of the cell. The university is now conducting a survey to find out the demand on the campus.
The centre will be set up on the guidelines set by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for day-care centres. However, Jejurkar added that Mumbai university plans to include several other facilities that are not mentioned in the guidelines. She said,
“The UGC norms states that children from 0-6 years should be allowed in the day-care centres. We plan to extend it for other children as well, depending on the demand. We also plan to offer medical facilities at the centre. However, all the plans are in the pipeline. We are still working on making the idea popular among people.”
The university released a circular to that effect to take feedback from all the stakeholders. It states: “Following the recommendations by university officials, the facility can be extended to the employees or staff of the varsity residing at the Kalina campus or nearby locality. The facility will also be available for temporary staff and adult students and research holders in the university. Also, those MU employees whose spouses are working individuals, though with other organisations, can take benefit of the scheme.”
Currently, the university has not decided on the charges that beneficiaries have to pay. “We have to decide the fee and other details. A class IV employee making use of the facility need not pay the same amount as the senior faculties. Students also need not pay the same amount,” added the chairperson.