ISLAMABAD: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has set up a help desk in its main campus in order to facilitate students in getting their academic degrees on a fast-track basis. The move comes as part of a series of initiatives taken under the direction of Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Shahid Siddiqui. The AIOU Examination Controller on Wednesday said that a separate Call Center with universal number (051-111112468) had also been established in the department to attend to students’ requirements and complaints in regard to their provisional certificates, transcripts and degrees. Five call attendants had also been hired on all working days from 8 am to 4 pm for this purpose. Both the Help Desk and the Call Center would also provide a window service for relevant matters. The Help Desk staff would assist students in ensuring that their applications, with the required documents, were properly submitted for degree issuance. The purpose behind this is to decrease time wastage and inefficiency due to unnecessary communication. Dr Siddiqui hoped that this arrangement would help to curtail the students’ problems and complaints to a great extent. He said that the facility of the helpline would be available for all students across the country. The university said that it was also strengthening its 44 regional offices for this purpose under the students’ support system.