The UGC was finally made to take the drastic steps in response to allegations that the mushroom growth of universities has led to a footloose situation arising in the country.

Since the first government-approved university (North South University was set up way back in the early 90s), there has been a rapid increase in this lucrative sector. Because judging by the advertisements in newspapers new universities with an impressive titles everyday proclaim having the finest courses on offer.

However, apart from an established few, very little is known about those institutions, the majority of which, always say they are affiliated to countries like the UK, USA and Australia.

We have a unique situation in our country where the access to higher education is restricted to a small minority but at the same time the steady increase in universities (exact number not known) are only cashing in on the situation. In fact, the government was so alarmed that it set up a committee to find out modus operandi of all institutions. It sent out a detailed questionnaire which asked universities to provide information on the tuition fees, number of students and teachers, the lists of students studying free of charge, the method of appointment of teachers, lists of full-time and part-time teachers and their salary structures, names of chief executives and other executives and their designations, dates of appointments, salaries, descriptions of boards formed for governing the institutions, audit reports of the previous year and reports on the latest income and expenditure. The nine-member body which began its work on July 19 has so far received feedback from 35 out 48 existing private universities. It is also understood that the committee has been given three months to submit a report, with recommendations aimed at radically streamlining these unchecked universities.

Let's hope they can do their job. Or will it be a case of another set of recommendations gathering dust somewhere in a locked up room?