TU reluctant to handover colleges to new varsities

KATHMANDU, Jan 3: The Tribhuvan University (TU) senate that had formed a body to resolve the dispute over handing over some of its constituent colleges to three new regional universities in October has still not begun the handover process.



Due to the delay in handing over the constituent colleges, there is little likelihood for the new universities to start conducting classes this year as well. [break]



The five-member taskforce led by former TU vice-chancellor Kedar Bhakta Mathema had decided take concrete action after the Dashain vacation, but the committee has not met for discussions so far, said Yogendra Narayan Badbadiya, chairman of the TU Teachers´ Association.



Education Secretary Suresh Man Shrestha´s foreign trip has delayed the committee meeting, said Badbadiya. Kuber KC of the TU staff association and Prof Ram Man Shrestha are also members of the taskforce.



However, TU officials are communicating with its donor, University Grant Commission (UGC) to find solutions. In a meeting held with the UGC officials, TU officials have proposed amendment to three Acts on the basis of which the three universities have been established. The Act had been endorsed by parliament on June 17, 2010.



Then parliament had directed the TU to hand over Siddha Nath Campus and Siddha Nath Multiple Campus to the Far-Western University and Surkhet Campus (of education), Birendra Multiple Campus and Public Science Campus to the Mid-Western University. As per the Agriculture and Forest Act - 2010, TU must hand over the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Chitwan and the Institute of Forestry Campus, Hetauda to the newly formed University of Agriculture and Forestry.



“Though the TU officials have not demanded compensation with the UGC to give away the properties to the new universities, they have hinted they may make such a claim in future,” said the administrative chief of the commission Subash Chandra Dhungel.



“The TU has sought advice with UGC officials as it would be at a risk of losing students from its agriculture campuses after the establishment of Agriculture University,” Dhungel added.



Jay Raj Awasthi, VC of the Far-western University, claimed that TU officials are deliberately delaying the handover process. The newly formed regional universities could not run classes in the last year´s academic session due to TU´s refusal to hand over its constituent colleges.

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