In Nepal, the 11 operating universities have a total of 1,440 campuses spread across the country. Among these campuses, 218 are enrolling fewer than one hundred students each. Although this situation is often attributed to the increasing trend of students migrating abroad in search of quality education, the growing practice of emulating others by prioritizing foreign education is a key reason. While the quality of Nepalese universities may be in question, another factor is the increasing number of parents who take pride in sending their children abroad. These various reasons have led to problems within the universities, yet the concerned authorities have not shown sufficient interest in identifying and addressing the core issues.
One of the most discussed issues in Nepal currently is the declining number of students in universities. It has long been reported that subjects under the humanities, such as history, geography, and political science, are nearly devoid of students, and recently, even technical subjects designated by universities have failed to attract the expected number of students. It is not only the universities established merely to fulfill political interests without proper academic rigor, but also some campuses of Tribhuvan University, which embodies the mainstream of the state, that have reached a state of closure due to a lack of students.
The situation regarding having to pay to study and being denied admission due to quotas has now changed. In the past, students considered it a great fortune to have the opportunity to study subjects such as medicine, engineering, forestry, agriculture, and animal science. Even those who had reached their second year of B.Sc. studies used to sit for the entrance examinations for these subjects. If given the opportunity, they would forgo two years of study to pursue technical subjects, but now there has been a widespread change in this scenario. Even campuses that offer technical subjects in universities have failed to attract the necessary number of students.
It has reached a point where the Ministry of Education has neglected the demand for students wishing to study under the scholarship quotas available from both domestic and foreign sources, accepting far fewer applications than requested. Just last week, with such quotas left vacant, the Prime Minister himself had to call upon interested students to submit their applications. According to information provided by the relevant authority, after a few seats were left vacant, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli even called on students to apply. The quotas for subjects such as Medical Sciences, Engineering, Agriculture, and Veterinary—from undergraduate to PhD levels—are also being wasted. This is a matter of great concern.
There was a time when the homes of ministers, the Prime Minister, political leaders, and high-ranking administrative officials would be crowded with people seeking to study in those subjects and obtain scholarships, but now the situation has reversed to the extent that the Prime Minister himself must personally solicit applications. Parents of students who passed the ISC or grade 12 exams would be solely focused on how to secure a scholarship quota for their children, and there were even discussions involving financial maneuvering for that purpose. It was said that if someone’s son or daughter got a scholarship and went abroad, it would elevate their social status. Today, the absence of students applying for those quota seats in Nepal is undoubtedly a matter of concern.
It is not that there are no students in Nepal. In the 11 universities of the country, 576,281 students are studying. In five health science institutions that offer advanced studies in medical sciences, there are 2,762 students. In regionally opened universities, a total of 425 students have been admitted. In this way, a total of 579,468 students are enrolled in various universities across Nepal. Despite these numbers, the uneven distribution of students among all campuses and the fact that some campuses have reached the point of closure have posed an additional challenge for those involved in the education sector.
Campuses that were forcefully filled during admissions in the past have now failed to attract students. The subjects that were launched as the most popular choices among students have seen a decline in their appeal. Professors who were recruited due to high student numbers are no longer receiving enough work because of the student shortage, yet the university continues to bear the burden of professors who have become permanent even in the absence of work. Campuses that used to operate morning, day, and evening shifts have now started operating in only one shift. Nepal still faces a shortage of doctors and engineers. Campuses offering these subjects have also failed to fill their seats. The number of campuses with fewer than one hundred students has exceeded 500.
After the establishment of higher secondary schools, the proficiency certificate level was removed from the universities. This is one of the main reasons for the decline in university student numbers, but it is not the reason for the shortage of students in subjects that are crucial for the country. Moreover, the lack of eligible students for the scholarships provided by foreign universities is not due to the higher secondary school system. If the state cannot identify and resolve the root causes of such issues, the future of the country does not appear to be promising.
It is not that the population of youth of university-going age in Nepal has decreased. In fact, compared to previous years, the number of young people in Nepal has increased. According to the 2078 B.S. population data, there are 8,208,813 young people aged between 15 and 29 in Nepal. This age group corresponds to the typical ages of students in higher secondary and university education. Moreover, age is not a limiting factor for studying at a university, so the real question remains why universities are suffering from a lack of students.
The state periodically raises questions about the increasing number of vacant campuses. The University Grant Commission also expresses concern regarding campuses with low student numbers. Among educators, there is ongoing discussion about the decline in university student enrollment. Universities have even formed committees to study the management of subjects with no student attendance, yet the issues have not been adequately resolved. It has been suggested that only career-oriented education attracts students, but even in technically oriented, career-focused subjects, a shortage of students is emerging.
When only Tribhuvan University and Nepal Sanskrit University were present, there was not a situation where all students in the country would flock to a single university. Even if there were enough students, they would have been distributed among the universities. Nepalese universities have also failed to create a scenario where the quality of universities attracts students from abroad. Neither does Nepal's development and attractive physical infrastructure draw foreigners. The fact that Nepal has beautiful and vast mountains and a climate that is suitable compared to the rest of the world does not in itself lead to an increase in university students.
It is not possible to solve the issues seen in the education sector, particularly in universities, merely by organizing large meetings by the Ministry of Education. Even when the illustrious educators, who have brought honor to the country, hold grand gatherings in five-star hotels, a solution does not emerge. To identify the root causes, one must directly address the problem areas. And that focal point is the youth who are tempted to leave Nepal for foreign universities; only through interacting with them can a remedy for the declining state of universities be found.
When it comes to the migration of students from universities, everyone tends to first blame the professors. This is an oversimplification, as professors play a key role in enhancing the quality of universities. With politically involved professors taking the lead and non-teaching professors seemingly slacking off, many believe that the solution lies in reforming the faculty. While this is partially true, there are other factors that the state must address. The fundamental issue is that there needs to be a change in the political parties' attitudes toward universities.
Nepal's political instability, the indifference of its leaders towards the people, increasing corruption, and declining good governance have all contributed to a decrease in the number of youths who wish to live in Nepal. As more students choose to leave for Gulf countries immediately after passing grade 12 for employment, and the number of students opting for American and European universities instead of Nepalese ones continues to rise, it is only natural that Nepalese universities are finding it difficult to attract students.
The fundamental problem of universities is that political parties consider their own nursery universities and treat students as mere saplings. Students gather in universities in large numbers to secure ward chairman tickets, and the parties use this mobilization as a measure of their value. If political parties cease the practice of promoting and sidelining professors, staff, students, and school teachers in Nepalese universities, fifty percent of the problems could be resolved on their own.
If those in power develop the habit of considering only professors and teachers who teach as part of their inner circle, and viewing the tricksters as belonging to a different category, then improving Nepal's education system would not be so difficult. If a day comes when political parties grant membership only to students who achieve excellent scores in exams and keep away those who engage in strikes, vandalism, and lockouts, then Nepalese universities can easily become centers of attraction once again.
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