French Course at the university

First of all, I have to say that the University of Mumbai's Kalina campus is a pleasant place. The campus is large, sprawling and has a lot of greenery. The professors there look very classy and dignified and with the sheer number of departments, the place is a temple of learning.

Getting admission into any course is however an obstacle thanks to the government-created bureaucracy and the clerks who act more like professors than the professors themselves.

The first response to anyone who wants to do a course is a "cold hesitation" to help. It's obvious that they don't want to encourage people to enrol for any course. I wonder where this kind of attitude comes from. I can see it going back to India's obsession with excluding people that has its roots in the caste system.

I was told the Diploma had already begun and that I needed to have completed the university's certificate course to qualify. The clerk was kind enough to let me have a word with the head of department and after a 3-minute conversation in French, I was allowed to enrol.

I went back the next day Here's the easy part: Fill in a form and submit copies of academic mark sheets. The tough part is going to a nationalized bank and waiting in a long queue to pay the fees and then coming back and showing the receipt before the clerks close for an hour-long lunch.

It's shame that in 21st century Bombay, banks like Allahabad Bank can get away with treating people so shabbily!!!

All said and done, my new French course starts on Tuesday and that makes me un joyeux homme!