During the just ended monsoon assembly session (Aug 31-Sep 2), due to the pressure by the opposition the government withdrew the bill that permitted setting up private universities in Goa (TGE Sept 2). The fears of having private universities are: Demand for acres of land which is becoming scarce, enhanced water and electricity consumption which are already in short supply, change in the demography of the place, locals and settlers may not see eye-to-eye, and an increase in the cost of daily essentials. Also, private universities would charge exorbitant fees which may not be affordable to many locals. Goa has a public university, several professional colleges (government and private) and three private universities. Instead of having a campus and spending huge amounts on infrastructure, faculties and facilities in Goa, private universities could conduct online courses from their main campus located elsewhere in India. These courses of short- to long-term could lead to a diploma or degrees. In Goa, an administrative office could provide information to and clarify the doubts of students and parents. For certain long-term courses, the students could be mandated to spend one or two semesters at the universities’ main campuses.
SRIDHAR D IYER, Caranzalem
