It’s all about making that extra buck!

For many a college students and unemployed youth in the city, the odd-even curriculum is an opportunity to make quick buck by taking up part-time assignments as volunteers.

From collecting money for fees to financially helping their parents to earning pocket money for buying a cell phone, college students are queuing in numbers to double up as volunteers during the “alternate day car drive course” with the Civil Defense Organisation(CDO) that is willing to shell out some currency.

For the reimbursement of a little over Rs 400 a day, student volunteers will be offering help to the commuters all around the city.

According to a CDO official, these volunteers will be serving as a helping hand to the traffic administration during the 15-day long odd-even exercise.

“I am working as COD volunteers, but for me this work is similar to any other part-time job as I wanted to earn some money to buy a cell phone,” said Vishal, a first-year student of Delhi University, who was present at the volunteers meeting on the Chhatarsal stadium.

For Jagat, CDO association has nothing to do with social campaigning. “I see odd-even trial days as possibly an earning season and I wish to earn some money working as a volunteer,” he said.

Gaurav, another Delhi University student, said: “As we are told by officials of CDO, we will be working in a 10-15 member group to approach people in need at different pre-assigned traffic points.”

“We are also tasked to request people not to break any rules as well as to support the cause and favor the greater good of the city,” said Manish Rajat, another student.

“I wanted to earn some pocket money. When one of my friend, who had worked with the CDO in the past contacted me to serve as a volunteer during the odd-even trial run and said I will get over Rs 400 per day, I found it interesting,” added Rajat.

Viky Rawat (20), wears the Aam Aadmi Party cap while listening to the CDO instructor in the stadium. “For most of you, the whole volunteer exercise is a routine affair that you see before every big event in the Capital, whether, it is an annual fair in the Pragati Maidan or a normal car-free day. But for several students like us, these events have thrown up an opportunity for earning some money,” he said.

However, a few instructors were apprehensive of revealing any such per-day pay to the volunteers but on request M K Malik, a high-ranked official in the CDO, revealed: “As per the decision made by the CDO, all students, working as volunteer during the odd-even trial run will be paid a little over Rs 400 per day.”