Technical Education Crisis in Nepal: Unrealistic Rules and No Plan

Deepening Crisis in Technical Education: Unrealistic Policies and Lack of Planning Cited as Key Causes

Kathmandu | February 19, 2026 [2082 Falgun 7 (BS)]

While the need to expand technical and skill-based education is increasingly being felt in Nepal, institutions currently providing technical education are facing serious legal and practical complications.

A study task force formed by the government has pointed out that unrealistic legal provisions created in the name of regulation, weak oversight, and the government’s lack of a clear plan are the main drivers of the crisis.

Report Prepared, Then Stalled Before Implementation

To address growing disorder and complaints in the technical education sector, then Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Mahabir Pun, formed a high-level study task force.

Although the team completed a detailed study and prepared a report, the process stalled before entering the implementation phase. While preparations were underway for discussions on the report at the ministry, the then minister resigned from office and entered electoral competition, after which the document remained shelved at the ministry.

Unplanned Expansion and Student Shortages

With the start of more systematic technical and vocational education and training practices in South Asia, Nepal also began expanding this field from the 1980s.

Although the sector appeared to move forward in an organized way in the early years, it has become increasingly problematic in recent years. Key factors include the rapid expansion of schools and programs without planning, the absence of national skill mapping, and extremely weak program selection and feasibility studies.

The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) granted permission in 2019 to 275 community schools to run programs at once, without a solid study or assessment of school capacity.

At present, most schools are running only a limited set of similar programs, including:

• Agriculture (Crop Science and Animal Husbandry)

• Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Computer)

• Health (Nursing, Health Assistant, Lab, Pharmacy)

• Forestry

The report states that once a flood of similar programs emerged in the same areas, many schools and institutions ended up with student enrollment far below capacity. As a result, institutions have been forced to sustain programs not by “selecting” students, but by “collecting” them.

Quality Compromises and Shortage of Skilled Instructors

Another major challenge is the severe shortage of competent trainers in technical and skill-based education institutions.

According to the report, many technical schools and community schools in rural areas are running programs largely without qualified and skilled instructors. In a more serious finding, some community schools were found to have hired government employees on contract and completed a one-year CTEVT curriculum within just two months.

Task force member and former CTEVT Member Secretary Dr. Ramhari Lamichhane said many institutions lack qualified and skilled trainers, and even where trainers exist, the trainer “turnover rate” is extremely high.

He added that many such schools have been granted approval to operate programs even without basic infrastructure, trainers, laboratories, and workshops.

The report identifies key issues including:

• Lack of standards-setting and accreditation

• Weak practical skill components in skill standards and curricula

• Weak linkage between industry and educational institutions

• Absence of a competency assessment system

• Lack of a sustainable financial structure

Reform Recommendations and Stakeholder Complaints

To resolve the existing problems, the task force has presented strict recommendations. The report suggests immediately closing or starting a process to merge institutions, school (technical stream) programs, and grades 9–12 technical stream programs that do not meet standards.

It also emphasizes the need for the council and the ministry to promptly develop clear guidelines and implement them.

Meanwhile, Nirmal Sapkota, General Secretary of the “Health and Technology Science Forum,” a joint organization of CTEVT-affiliated institutions, complained that unstable government policies have pushed private and community institutions toward collapse.

He said that the government follows one policy while granting affiliation, but after institutions invest and begin running programs, another complex policy is introduced that creates obstacles. He said this pattern has contributed to the current problems faced by institutions.

Current Technical Education Figures

At present, across the country, the following are operating under CTEVT:

• 67 constituent institutions

• 58 partnership institutions

• Technical streams running in 639 community schools

• 438 private institutions

In addition, 1,850 skill training centers have also received CTEVT approval and are running short-term vocational training programs at the private level.