Parliamentary body calls on TU for effective implementation of academic calendar

The House of Representatives, Education, Health and Information Technology Committee has urged Tribhuvan University (TU), the oldest university in the country, to implement its annual calendar in an effective way.

Following the presentation by TU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Dharmakant Baskota in the committee meeting today, lawmakers pointed out that the students were compelled to go abroad for higher education and employment as the University which is the biggest one in terms of both infrastructure and property was not run in a systematic manner.

Committee president Dr Kaluram Rai called for thinking on ways as to how the situation of students having to go abroad for tertiary education could be stopped.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Dr Chandrakanta Bhandary said the country's identity should be established on the basis of education and suggested directly appointing those completing higher degrees including Ph D and excelling in their studies as professor.

CPN (UML) lawmaker Bidya Bhattarai stressed that strong commitment of the highest political level was required for resolving the problem of various sides padlocking the University frequently by getting to the root cause of the problem.

CPN (Maoist Centre) lawmaker and former Education Minister Devendra Poudel said the TU should carry out the works it can do by itself since it is an autonomous body and it should bring programmes capable of attracting students.

Describing the incidents of lockout and physical attack that take place in the University as deplorable acts, he said his party would assist in checking such activities in the university.

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Sumana Shrestha called on the TU to conduct a study on the aspiration of the students and the level of their academic satisfaction. She shared that according to a survey she herself carried out, it is found that the students complained of the University not conducting exams and publishing their results in time.

She stressed on enforcing the annual academic calendar for every subject. Dr Toshima Karki of the same party demanded that those committing mistakes in the question paper should be punished.

University Grants Commission (UGC) Chair Prof Dr Devraj Adhikari said the Commission is preparing to enforce the National Quality Test. He added that the process of merging the TU campuses has also begun.

UGC Chair Adhikari stressed that all universities including TU should conduct classes, exams and publish exam results in accordance with the National Academic Calendar which the UGC is implementing soon.

Padlocking continues for 41 days

TU Vice Chancellor Dr Baskota informed the Committee that the university's officials were compelled to work from outside their offices due to the lockout carried out for the last 41 days at their offices by the TU Kirtipur-affected Concerned Society, calling for giving job.

Stating that they have been facing difficulty in human resource management as the post of the TU Service Commission Chair remains vacant since a year now, Vice Chancellor Baskota urged the government not to go for opening new university and instead concentrate on better managing the existing universities.

Presently there are 11 universities including TU in operation in the country while two new ones are about to start their operation following the implementation of related legislation.

Similarly, six health science academies are in operation as deemed universities.

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