Government Prepares Rules Allowing Removal of All University Officials
News Summary
Reviewed editorially.
- The government has recommended a university-related act amendment ordinance to the President, allowing the removal of university officials.
- The ordinance abolishes the fixed four-year term of office for officials, granting the government the authority to remove them at will.
- Nepal currently has 18 universities, and the government aims to fulfill its commitment to shift from politically influenced appointments to merit-based selections.
April 29, Kathmandu – The government has recommended an ordinance to the President that creates provisions allowing the removal of current university officials.
Among three ordinances recommended to the President’s office on Wednesday is an amendment to the Nepal University Act, which proposes changes to various provisions of university laws.
According to government sources, this ordinance removes the existing provisions regarding the term of office of university officials.
Currently, the act stipulates a four-year term for university officials, but the ordinance seeks to abolish this fixed term.
Sources indicate that the ordinance does not specify a fixed term, effectively allowing the government to remove incumbent officials at any time.
The appointment system includes positions such as Vice Chancellor, Rector, and Registrar, with the Chancellor usually being the Prime Minister and the Pro-Chancellor the Education Minister.
The appointment process has been criticized for being driven by political quotas.
The government and the ruling alliance had committed to replacing this system with merit-based appointments, a promise that is now poised to be implemented.
How many universities are there in Nepal?
