Prime Minister Karki Calls for Autonomous Universities
Prime Minister Sushila Karki has expressed the view that the provision of keeping political figures in the post of Chancellor increases political interference in universities.
Addressing the annual general assembly of Tribhuvan University today, Prime Minister Karki stressed that the arrangement under which the Prime Minister remains Chancellor of all universities in the country should be removed in order to close the path for unnecessary politics.
She said, “We had to wait until Mangsir for the annual policy and program that should have been passed in Asar. This is not good. Universities must be freed from politics.”
The Prime Minister also emphasized that universities should become self-reliant not only academically and administratively but also financially. She said, “Dependence on the government for everything does not allow universities to be autonomous.”
Minister for Education, Science and Technology and Pro-Chancellor of the university, Mahabir Pun, informed that discussions are being held with experts on removing, through an ordinance or other legal arrangements, the provision under which the Prime Minister remains Vice-Chancellor.
The assembly has decided that, in the university’s policy program for the fiscal year 2082–83, the academic and administrative aspects will be restructured. Similarly, it has decided to gradually move towards a provincial structure by strengthening the capacity of the regional offices under the university.
For this purpose, the TU assembly has passed a policy to form a high-level TU Restructuring Commission and to move ahead with the work of adjusting or closing, as necessary, campuses affiliated with the university by evaluating their academic, physical, and administrative functions.
Likewise, the university has stated that decisions have been taken to arrange resources and means for human resources and manpower development, academic and curricular reform, examination reform, institutional reform, digital transformation through information technology, and research.
The TU assembly meeting, which had earlier been halted after disputes arose in connection with the policy and program that, according to TU’s regular schedule, should have been passed last Asar and moved into the implementation process, was convened today.
Tribhuvan University