Good job

The Karki government’s initiative to rid universities of politics must be appreciated.

Nepali university education has long been in the doldrums. Victims of constant political meddling, the partisan grip on universities is strengthened by the provision of having the prime minister as the chancellor. Except for two universities, all other universities in Nepal have the prime minister as chancellor and the education minister as pro-chancellor. The vice-chancellor, the university’s executive head, is appointed by the prime minister based on the recommendation of a three-member committee led by the education minister. This means that the vice-chancellors often owe their position to the parties in power. For years now, experts and students alike have been advocating for the removal of the prime minister from the position. This will stop the prime minister from directly meddling in the running of universities, effectively turning them into a recruiting ground for political cadres. Also, the head of government, already busy with a plethora of engagements, hardly finds time to work for the improvement of university education. Plus, as the prime minister is often not an academic, they fail to understand and address the issues affecting the academic institutions and students alike.