The notification for the selection of the Vice-Chancellor of Tribhuvan University has been canceled. The committee responsible for recommending candidates for the position decided to cancel the notification. The committee had initially published a notice in the Gorkhapatra, inviting applications for the Vice-Chancellor role. The criteria stated that applicants should have a minimum of three years of experience in a university position.
However, the government faced opposition when they attempted to appoint a specific individual as the Vice-Chancellor based on these criteria. As a result, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, who also serves as the Chancellor of the university, instructed Education, Science and Technology Minister Ashok Rai, who chairs the committee, to revise the criteria.
In compliance with the Prime Minister’s instructions, the previous notification has been canceled to establish new standards. During a meeting on Saturday, the committee discussed potential changes to the selection procedure, but no decision was reached as the Prime Minister had prior engagements. Ministry sources indicate that a final decision regarding the revision of standards will be made after a meeting with the Prime Minister on Sunday.
The appointment of a vice-professor as a member of the selection and recommendation committee has faced significant opposition. Education Minister Ashok Rai serves as the committee’s chairperson, and the remaining two members are Education Secretary Suresh Adhikari and Vice-Professor Dr. Chandrakala Ghimire. Dr. Ghimire’s inclusion in the Maoist quota has been met with criticism from many within the academic community. This is because the Vice-Chancellor position is typically held by a professor, not a vice-professor. Dr. Ghimire, who is an assistant professor, specializes in teaching subjects related to Buddhist philosophy.
