There's a lot of confusion related to Mumbai University transcripts and attestation. This is mainly due to lack of a streamlined process and some semester exams being conducted by colleges themselves. So let me try and clear the confusion by stating the process I have followed (which has worked). I hope it clears most of the doubts. A few important points before we start -
- Mumbai University DOES NOT issue transcripts (not in the sense we assume). They ONLY issue attested copies of your documents (marksheets, degree certificate & convocation certificate). For the ease of explanation, we'll still call them 'transcripts'.
- DO NOT waste your time in any other sort of attestation (be it self-attestation or notary)
- The process is relatively simple, so please don't overcomplicate it by involving irrelavant authorities.
- The motive of this process is ease & peace of mind, and not saving money.
- I have used mailtrancripts.com for my university transcripts, but this is in no way an advertisement for their service. I'm mentioning them because I used their service and it worked. You may choose to find a similar service provider and get your transcripts from there. You can also save a lot of money if you go and apply for them yourself at the Churchgate office. The process & timeline for that is already mentioned in several previous posts.
Now, here's my case - I have a MMS (Master Of Management Studies) degree from the University of Mumbai, wherein the first two semester exams were conducted by the college. I had all the documents required (all 4 semester marksheets, degree certificate & convocation). My WES application type was ECA.
Step 1: Make sure you have all the required documents - this includes marksheets of failed/ATKT semesters. IF you're missing any, the first step will be to apply for a duplicate, get it issued and then continue with this process.
Step 2: Scan all documents and create individual PDFs. Make sure each and every detail on the scanned document is legible.
Step 3: Go to mailtranscripts.com and click on apply. The website will guide you through the process. Fill in all the relevant details and upload your scanned marksheets, degree certificate & convocation. (Note: Convocation certificate is not a required document for WES, so if you don't have one, it's perfectly ok.). They had charged me 4000 for a set but since then, they've increased the price to 5000/set. I had applied for 2 sets. The additional one was just to check if everything was done right.
Step 4: In my case, I received a courier from mailtranscripts within 7 days of applying. On the website, they have mentioned the processing time as 15 working days. The package had 2 regular sealed envelopes (no printed university information) inside (one for each set applied). There were a stamp and signature from 'Director of Universities Information Bureau' on the flap of the envelope. On the front of the envelope were 2 stamps - 1 said 'Air Mail' and the other said 'The Registrar, University of Mumbai, Fort, Mumbai - 400032'.
I opened one envelope to check the contents. It had attested true copies of my 4 marksheets, the degree certificate & the convocation certificate. These were again attested by the 'Director of Universities Information Bureau'.
Step 5: Apply for a set of transcripts from your college. Each college has a set process for application. There is no standard procedure. I applied at mine with just a written request on a blank piece of paper. The fees can vary from college to college. My college charged me 1000 for a set. Request the clerk to not seal the transcripts until you've verified them. I did this and the clerk agreed. This was to make sure there are no discrepancies. You can never be too careful. There is a chance that the clerk may deny your request. In that case, apply for 2 sets and use the additional set for verifying.
Step 6: I received my college transcripts 3 days after applying. The clerk showed them to me as per my request. The set included - transcripts of each semester, a summary & the grading system. This was the college's own format. I verified all the details and then the clerk went ahead and sealed them in the college envelope and got it signed and sealed from the Director. Please note that college transcripts have to be signed & sealed by either the Director, the Principal or the Controller of Examinations. Please don't accept your transcripts if they've been signed or stamped by anyone else.
Step 7: Create an account on WES, enter all your information, pay the requisite fees and get the reference number. Write this reference number and WES address on both the envelopes - college & university. Write it with a simple pen in a clean & legible handwriting. No need to print and paste.
Step 8: Get a larger and durable envelope. I used an A3 envelope since the college had issued an A4 envelope. This is to avoid folding the envelopes as folded envelopes tend to get torn near the crease in transit. Write down (in bold) your WES reference number and WES address on the front side of this larger envelope. Optional - on the back side of the envelope, write down the contents of the envelope.
Step 9: Put your college envelope, the university envelope and 1 set of non-attested, legible photocopies of all your marksheets, degree certificate & convocation inside the larger envelope.
Step 10: Courier to WES. I used FedEx and the package reached on the 4th day.
Hereon, keep checking your WES account for updates. WES first reviews all the documents they receive and then starts the process of evaluation. So until they have reviewed all the documents, the status will say 'We received your documents. We are reviewing your documents.' Once your account reaches the status of 'We are reviewing your evaluation report', you are in the clear. If you scroll down, you'll see 'All documents were reviewed and accepted'. (My change in status happened after 10 days of them receiving the documents). From thereon, they may take up to 21 working days to finish your report.
I've tried to cover everything here and I hope it helps clear some of the confusion. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.
