Patan Multiple Campus: History, Growth, and an IT-Ready Future
Patan Multiple Campus stands as a long-serving constituent campus of Tribhuvan University (TU). Established on 17 Bhadra 2011 BS, it has crossed seventy-two years of service by 2082 BS. Over this span, the campus has expanded its academic offerings, strengthened teaching capacity, and steadily built a learning environment that blends tradition with present-day needs.
Establishment and Milestones
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Founded: 17 Bhadra 2011 BS
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Milestone: Seventy-two years completed by 2082 BS
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Character: Public, TU-affiliated, multi-faculty campus
Role within Tribhuvan University
As one among TU’s 61 constituent campuses, Patan Multiple Campus carries a broad mandate: deliver accessible higher education, maintain academic continuity, and support national human resource development. In terms of student volume and program spread, it is positioned just after Mahendra Morang Multiple Campus. Within the Kathmandu Valley, it is widely recognized for its range of programs, central location, and strong ties to the city’s cultural and academic life.
Academic Programs
The campus operates across three faculties and offers around ten master’s programs, alongside a wide set of bachelor’s options. Program design balances long-standing disciplines with fields that match current demand.
Bachelor’s Programs
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BBS
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BA
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BSc
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BBA (Management)
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IT-focused bachelor’s: CSIT, BIT, BCA
These programs form a clear pathway from foundational knowledge to practice. Management and humanities sustain broad educational goals, while science and IT support technical depth and project-based learning.
Master’s Programs
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Environmental Science
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Physics
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MIT and BMCA (IT-oriented)
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Other MA programs (totaling around ten)
The graduate portfolio preserves disciplinary depth and adds advanced pathways in computing and applied sciences.
Emphasis on IT
By 2082 BS, information technology receives explicit priority. The aim is simple: align offerings with national needs and market demand. The campus has responded by:
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Expanding IT programs (CSIT, BIT, BCA, MIT, BMCA)
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Upgrading practical facilities
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Embedding short, focused exposure events—micro-seminars, micro-workshops, and guest lectures—so students consistently link theory to real work.
People and Governance
A strong academic setup relies on people and structure. Patan Multiple Campus has both.
Departments and Faculty
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Departments: ~26
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Teaching staff: ~212 (Professors, Associate Professors, Assistant Professors, Teaching Assistants)
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Qualifications: Master’s, MPhil, PhD across disciplines
This depth enables stable delivery across large student cohorts and varied courses.
Administration and Leadership
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Administrative staff: ~79
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Leadership: Campus Chief, four Assistant Campus Chiefs, a working committee, and a management committee
These teams guide planning, operations, implementation, and monitoring—from classrooms and labs to maintenance and student services.
Learning Environment
Labs and Facilities
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Computer labs: ~7, operational and scaled for CSIT, BIT, BCA, MIT, and BMCA practicals
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Classrooms: Projector-based teaching widely used in IT classes to support demonstrations, code reviews, and project walkthroughs
The labs are treated as core infrastructure, ensuring hands-on work is routine and reliable.
Teaching Methods and Exposure
Short, targeted academic events bring professional perspectives to campus:
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Micro-seminars and micro-workshops on tools, workflows, and current practices
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Guest lectures that show how classroom ideas appear in real projects
This rhythm of exposure helps students test understanding, build confidence, and see where their skills fit.
Industry Linkages and Outcomes
Internships
Connections with employers—often built through alumni—support a steady internship pipeline. Across IT programs such as CSIT, BIT, BCA, and MIT (and extending to BMCA), roughly 60–80% of students secure internships. These roles range from development support and QA to data work and operations. Placement depth varies by cohort and year, but the underlying pattern is consistent: students gain workplace exposure before graduation.
Entrepreneurship
Many graduates move into self-employment—founding service firms, building products, or consulting. This path reflects both opportunity and national constraints. The campus views this trend as a practical contribution to local economies and a signal of the community’s problem-solving mindset.
Student Profile and Reach
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Total students: ~10,000
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Districts represented: ~70
For many, Kathmandu is both a learning site and a place to sustain livelihood. Timetables, attendance policies, and support services are managed with this reality in mind. The campus is widely chosen by students seeking public-sector affordability with clear academic pathways, especially in IT.
Academic Discipline and Quality Assurance
Calendar and Attendance
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Semester duration: 16 weeks of instruction per term
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Monitoring: TU has digitized attendance for professors and staff and increased oversight
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Accountability: Missed classes can be flagged by students; departments respond to keep schedules on track
This system protects exam timelines, maintains course depth, and gives students predictable learning routines.
Student Organizations
The Free Student Union (FSU) and other student bodies play an active role on campus. While political activity can surface at times, the campus reports a largely constructive contribution—often 80–90% facilitative—raising issues on classes, labs, infrastructure, and extracurricular needs, and acting as a bridge between students and administration.
Conversations around minimizing extreme incidents and maintaining regular study routines continue. The shared goal is clear: a steady academic calendar and consistent learning conditions that support strong outcomes.
Infrastructure Challenges and Upgrades
Earthquake Impact and Maintenance
The 2072 BS earthquake damaged a significant portion of the physical plant:
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Buildings: ~10 in total; about 9 were red-stickered
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Constraint: Budget allocation and implementation for full reconstruction remain difficult
Targeted maintenance has stabilized day-to-day operations:
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Drainage repairs and improved waste management
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Roof leakage fixes
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Gate improvements and main-building painting
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Maintenance of an at-risk campus tower
Near-Term Plans
The campus is in a maintenance-plus phase while pursuing expansion:
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Prepare and maintain spaces for science admissions and ongoing classes
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Add floors or new buildings as needed
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Remove more than eight post-earthquake Jifoundation sheds to clear grounds
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Reconstruct the table-tennis (TT) hall and address one risky hall
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Open space for a basketball court and playing fields
These steps aim to strengthen safety, support events and extracurriculars, and improve the daily experience for students and staff. Progress is phased and depends on coordination and funding, but the direction is firm: move from temporary measures to durable, fit-for-purpose facilities.
Attendance Patterns by Program
Attendance is strong in BBA, CSIT, BIT, MIT, MCA/BMCA, BCA, and most master’s programs. The most attention is needed at the bachelor’s level in Humanities and BBS, where absenteeism trends higher. Program-level tracking and student support are focused here to reduce missed classes and keep learning on schedule.
Socio-economic factors matter. Many students carry both study and livelihood responsibilities in Kathmandu. Policy remains consistent with TU standards, while support is directed to help students meet requirements without losing momentum.
National Context and Planning
Public Mandate of TU
Tribhuvan University is old, large, and affordable. It carries a national mission to provide higher education at a fee structure that many families can manage. Public narratives sometimes focus on disruptions and miss gradual improvements—monitoring, attendance systems, and steady class delivery. The campus argues for a broader view that recognizes these quieter gains.
Workforce Planning
Demand has moved in waves—Management/BBA previously, IT today. Without forward planning, each wave risks crowding. A national ten-year, sector-wise human resource estimate would help universities set intake targets, balance program mix, and sustain employability. With clear targets, TU and other universities can calibrate offerings to match real needs.
Sectoral Linkages
Education supplies skilled people; the economy must create room for them. Priority areas include:
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Agriculture: Technology-supported production, processing, and logistics
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Services: Scalable solutions that absorb graduates across regions
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Industry: Growth that opens space for large-scale graduate employment
When these sectors strengthen, domestic placement improves, and graduates rely less on migration or short-term fixes.
Priorities and Roadmap
Short-Term
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Keep the semester on a tight schedule; finish instruction within 16 weeks
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Maintain digitized attendance and timely responses to missed classes
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Ensure high uptime across the seven computer labs
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Continue micro-seminars, micro-workshops, and guest lectures
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Complete essential safety and maintenance tasks
Medium-Term
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Add floors or buildings to match program growth
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Remove temporary sheds; reclaim grounds for sports and events
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Rebuild the TT hall and address the risky hall
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Formalize industry partnerships and internship pathways with clear learning goals
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Strengthen advising and attendance support where absenteeism persists
Long-Term
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Advocate for ten-year national human resource planning by sector
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Aim for near-100% employment or enterprise creation, with strong domestic retention
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Align permissions, approvals, and support structures with evolving national needs
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Reduce severe disruptions and keep a steady campus routine to safeguard outcomes
Key Facts (At a Glance)
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Founded: 17 Bhadra 2011 BS
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Years completed: 72 by 2082 BS
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Faculties: 3
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Master’s programs: ~10 (including Environmental Science, Physics, MIT, BMCA)
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Bachelor’s programs: BBS, BA, BSc, BBA; IT programs—CSIT, BIT, BCA
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Departments: ~26
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Teaching staff: ~212
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Administrative staff: ~79
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Students: ~10,000 from ~70 districts
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Labs: ~7 computer labs
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Standing: Second after Mahendra Morang Multiple Campus by students and programs (national context)
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Semester length: 16 weeks
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Internships (IT): ~60–80% of students obtain placements
Closing Note
Patan Multiple Campus blends longevity with practical change. The campus maintains broad programs in management, humanities, and science while giving clear priority to computing fields that match current demand. Faculty depth, structured governance, and an emphasis on regular classes form the backbone. Modern labs, projector-based classrooms, and frequent exposure events make hands-on learning the norm. Alumni and employer ties open internship routes and support early career steps, and many graduates create their own ventures.
The physical campus still carries the impact of the 2072 BS earthquake. Step by step, maintenance and rebuilding are moving forward, with attention to safety, study spaces, and student life. The larger task runs beyond the campus: align higher education with sector-wise workforce planning so graduates find meaningful roles at home. With a large student body, broad departmental base, and a practical focus on outcomes, Patan Multiple Campus is positioned to contribute to that national effort—steadily, and with an eye on results that matter to learners and the communities they serve.
College Education Study in Nepal