University Act Amendment Draft Made Public, Education Ministry Calls for Suggestions Within Seven Days
Kathmandu, 8 Asar 2083
The Government of Nepal, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, has made public a draft prepared to amend 16 different Acts related to universities and has requested opinions and suggestions from the general public. The Ministry has set a seven-day deadline for submitting suggestions on the draft of the “Bill Made to Amend Some Nepal Acts Related to Universities, 2083.”
The draft has been prepared in accordance with Section 6, Sub-section (2) of the Legislation Act, 2081, and suggestions are being collected from stakeholders and the general public. Interested individuals or institutions may submit their opinions to the Ministry’s email address, law.sec@moest.gov.np, within seven days from 2083/03/08.
Key Provisions of the Amendments
This bill proposes significant changes in the appointment of office bearers and the structure of assemblies of major universities in the country, including Tribhuvan University, Nepal Sanskrit University, and Kathmandu University. The main provisions are as follows:
Qualifications of Office Bearers: A Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree has been made mandatory for appointment to the posts of Vice-Chancellor, Rector, and Registrar. In addition, the proposed qualifications include at least 10 years of academic experience in the relevant field, completion of 40 years of age, and high moral character.
Leadership Selection and Recommendation Committee: A separate recommendation committee will be formed to recommend office bearers, including the Vice-Chancellor. Such a committee will include experts from the relevant field.
Representation in University Assemblies: Changes have been made to the representation of teachers, students, and employees in the assemblies, or senates, of various universities. Representation of women has been made mandatory in most universities.
Provision Relating to Tenure: New provisions have been proposed by removing the provisions related to the “four-year tenure” contained in some university Acts.
Acts Proposed for Amendment
The draft bill proposes amendments to the following 16 university-related Acts:
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Nepal Sanskrit University Act, 2043
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Kathmandu University Act, 2048
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Tribhuvan University Act, 2049
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Purbanchal University Act, 2050
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Pokhara University Act, 2053
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Lumbini Buddhist University Act, 2063
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Sudurpashchim University Act, 2067
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Mid-Western University Act, 2067
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Agriculture and Forestry University Act, 2067
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Nepal Open University Act, 2073
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Rajarshi Janak University Act, 2074
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Bidushi Yogmaya Himalayan Ayurveda University Act, 2079
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Madan Bhandari University Act, 2079
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Nepal University Act, 2081
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Shahid Dashrath Chand University of Health Sciences Act, 2082
Format for Submitting Suggestions
The Ministry has requested that the following details be provided while submitting suggestions:
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Name and surname of the person providing suggestions
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Contact number or email address
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Name of the bill
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Details of the suggestion:
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Section of the draft bill
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Proposed provision mentioned in the draft
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Provision that should be included, meaning the opinion or suggestion
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Justification for the opinion or suggestion
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Members of the public may send their suggestions to the email address specified by the Ministry within the prescribed time by providing these details. This amendment aims to prioritize academic qualifications and professionalism in the selection of university leadership.
