This is an example of how public universities are being run these days. It seems the universities have not shown any sensitivity towards rules and regulations while introducing recurring expenditures like payment of salaries without the UGC's approval.

The fact that most of the unapproved appointments were made during the last year of the immediate past government points to political considerations influencing the whole process. Widespread politicisation of all important institutions has had a debilitating effect on every sphere of our national life. Such politicisation has a lot to do with rampant corruption. But the saddest part of the story is that even the highest seats of learning like the universities have not been spared by the politically motivated elements who were out to grab everything that came their way.

There is no denying that when a university teacher is appointed only due to her/his political connections, the whole concept of education standard is compromised.

The universities are showing all the signs of malfunctioning or coming under the evil spell of political activists who could not see anything beyond their own self-aggrandizement. We have come to learn about fake mark sheets, certificates and what not! Such fake things cannot but lower the standing of the universities in the public eye. Now the report that the university authorities have been following, in a good number of cases, an unauthorised recruitment policy will further corroborate the widely held view that even the arena of higher education has been vitiated by petty individual or party interests. How else could we explain the deviation from set rules and regulations? Obviously, there may be a few cases of recruitment that could not wait for the UGC's approval. But the university authorities should have got everything approved and regularised before any question could be raised regarding the legitimacy of their actions.

The UGC has to investigate the matter with a view to setting things right in the recruitment of university teachers and employees.