“Political influence has not been completely removed as the prime minister is the chancellor: Lawmaker Baral

Kathmandu. CPN (UML) lawmaker Guru Prasad Baral has questioned the integrated working procedure regarding the selection and recommendation of vice-chancellors of universities recently issued by the government.

Speaking at the meeting of the House of Representatives on Friday, he said although there were claims that political quota would be reduced, research and academic qualifications would be given importance and capable people would come through open competition, political influence would be substantial.

“Recently the government has issued the Integrated Work Procedure 2083 BS for the selection and recommendation of vice-chancellors of the universities. Although it is claimed that the political division will be reduced, research and academic merit will be given importance, and capable people will come through open competition, if we look closely at the current process, the political influence will remain substantial. ’

Baral said that although the selection committee evaluated the candidates and recommended the candidates, the provision of final appointment would be vested in the chancellor.

“The political influence has not been completely removed as the prime minister is the chancellor in most of the public universities,” he said.

Claiming that the work procedure has been brought affecting the autonomy of the university, he recalled that educationists have been saying that the university should have its own selection process.

“The government-centric process will have serious impact on the institutional autonomy of the university,” he said. The nature of Nepal Sanskrit University, Agriculture and Forestry University and Open University is different. However, there is a uniform format and the same weightage for all, which has raised doubts about the selection of the most qualified vice-chancellor. ’

Raising questions about the scoring system, he said the system of awarding marks on the basis of publications, research projects and book writing has given more importance to results than qualitative aspects.

Baral expressed his dissatisfaction over the increasing practice of giving acting responsibility to juniors by sidelining senior professors not only in the university sector but also in health science academies.