The higher education sector has become a theatre of the absurd with shrinking opportunities and declining standards. Neo-liberal policies adopted by the government have resulted in commodification of this sector. The gap between demand and supply has constantly been increasing. To fill it, many players have come in the market and some of them live by the saying that ‘fake it if you cannot make it’. The trodden path of fakery is like this: Public sector universities have allowed private players to get affiliated with them and start classes. Some of them even fail to meet minimal requirements but start admissions under the carpet, cashing in on the urge of the middle class to buy education at any cost. South of Punjab has been hit by such fake education the hardest. We have the case of the fake affiliated campus of the Bahauddin Zakariya Univeristy in Lahore and the loss it made to the fate of students. Similarly, the Sargodha University became controversial on account of such illegalities. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had to step in to fix responsibility and make recoveries.
Recently, one such case has reportedly been found in Alipur, district Muzaffargarh, where a branch of a known college chain claimed to be affiliated with GC University, Faisalabad. Many students paid fees to get registered. However, the university website doesn’t recognise it as an affiliated college. The students who have been robbed by this college have moved the district administration and lodged complaints in the hope that action will be taken soon. But the institution has the backing of feudal lords of the area. Against this scenario it is not wise to leave this case to the district administration alone as it involves the future of the poor of this neglected area.
This is a case of perfect fraud in the name of education. Authorities at the GC University, Faisalabad, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and NAB should take notice of such fake institutions. It will save the sector of higher education from becoming more absurd than it is at present. The GC University, Faisalabad, bears the responsibility to fix this matter once and for all before the scope of this scam swells. Strict action in this regard is expected. Similarly, private institutions like the Punjab Group of Colleges should be mindful of credibility and reputation of entrepreneurs at the time of extending their chains. *