TU writ runs large as multi-varsity fails to take off

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

Kathmandu, April 15
The lofty concept of multi-university across the nation has been a non-starter. Several proposed varsities are still awaiting the government’s approval. “We are busy scrutinising four proposals. University regulations have already been promulgated,” said Lekhnath Paudel, joint-spokesperson, Ministry of Education (MoE).
Mid-Western University, Agriculture, Forestry and Animal Science University, Far-Western University and Open University are the ones that are likely to see light of the day soon.
“It has been two decades since we raised the issue of granting permanent affiliation to the Tribhuvan University-affiliated public campuses or allow them to run a separate public university. The government is yet to act on that,” said Baikuntha Neupane, president, Nepal Public Campus Association (NPCA).
At present, Nepal boasts of six universities. They are Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal Sanskrit University, Purbanchal University, Pokhara University, Kathmandu University and Lumbini Buddha University.
While, about a dozen is still awaiting the MoE’s approval.
Neupane raised pertinent issues like the rush of students to the existing varsities and severe infrastructure inadequacies that plague them.
“Why cannot we run a separate university? If the multi-university concept has been adopted, then the MoE needs to grant us permission,” he said.
NPCA records revealed that 561 campuses are affiliated to the TU, which also has its own constituent campuses. A staggering 117,000 students are enrolled in the TU that started granting temporary affiliation to
private campuses about three decades ago.
“NPCA, on the other hand, boasts of 300 public campuses that have 109,000 students and 7,000 employees on its rolls. TU has approved the affiliation of 167 campuses this year alone. While, more are in the pipeline,” said Neupane.
The irrational spurt in the number of affiliated campuses shows that the TU is allegedly interested in raking in money by issuing temporary permission.
The varsity charges Rs 10,000 as registration fee, Rs 50,000 as supervising charge, Rs 20,000 as departmental registration. On top of that, the additional charges vary between Rs 300,000 and Rs 500,000 for faculty permission. TU has been in the line of fire for its failure to check the physical infrastructure of these ad-hoc campuses.
“We have been clamouring for a separate public university for long,” added Neupane. Dhruba Prasad Niure, a teacher at Central Department of Education, TU, agreed. “TU has failed to maintain its quality due to its unmanageable size. To maker matters worse, political intervention is largely to be blamed for the sorry state of affairs,” said Niure.
Hem Raj Sharma Poudel, founder chairman, Balewa Painyupata Multiple Campus, Baglung, knows a thing or two about the infrastructure hindrances in remote areas.
Public campuses have been established by the locals by collecting donations since many cannot afford to send their wards to bigger urban centres due to financial constraints. What has been the TU’s role in these areas? “It has done nothing save setting question papers,” said Poudel.
Ambubhawani Karki, principal, Tejganga Multiple Campus, Kavre, had to contend with gender bias when she took the initiative to run a campus. “Neither the district body nor the municipality came to my aid,” she alleged.
Kedar Giri, chairman, management committee, Kankai Multiple Campus, Jhapa, admitted that public campuses were not in the pink of health. “Poor physical infrastructure, low salaries of teachers and
lack of government aid have been the major problems,” said Giri.
University Grant Commission gives an annual grant between Rs 100,000 and Rs 500,000. “But the inequitable distribution of the aid has not helped our cause” said Pradip Katuwal, chairman, Lampantar Multiple Campus, Sindhuli.
“For instance, the World Bank has provided Rs 160 million each to nine better equipped campuses,”
pointed out Poudel.
Agitating teachers, who want to run a public university, got the wrong end of the government stick in the capital a few weeks ago.
Representatives of NPCA and Public Campus Teachers’ Association have been staging a series of protests for long.
“We will be forced to shut down all public campuses in the near future, if our demands are not met,” said Katuwal.
“Deemed universities can become operational only if they meet the eligibility criteria,” maintained Paudel, joint spokesperson, MoE.