Divide and ruin

Whatever the top politicians might say, the system of ‘bhagbanda’ in our universities continues to flourish.

For years, politics has taken precedence over progress in Nepal’s higher education. Political parties have turned educational institutions into their playgrounds, weakening the foundation and values of these establishments. This is evident in the recent hullabaloo over the appointment of deans at Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal’s oldest. The dean positions were vacant since June this year, and disagreements in the executive council over the selections had hindered the selection process before Dashain. The major political parties and their student unions did their best to manipulate the merit-based appointment system, while criticising each other for ‘politicising’ higher education. The tug-of-war between the parties finally ended with the appointment of deans in five study institutes and three faculties of the university. However, these appointments have once again laid bare the practice of bhagbanda between the CPN-UML, the Nepali Congress, and the CPN (Maoist Centre).