Microbiology Graduates in Nepal Demand Licenses

Microbiology Graduates in Nepal Demand Licenses

Microbiology graduates in Nepal are protesting the lack of government licenses for over 4,000 B.Sc. and M.Sc. Microbiology students. The absence of licenses means they are unable to work in government services and are forced to migrate overseas. The students have demanded licenses for years, but the government has yet to provide them.

Tribhuvan University students at the Institute of Science and Technology have staged protests to pressure government agencies into providing licenses for microbiology students. The Department of Microbiology at the Central Technology Campus in Dharan has complained that the Nepal government has failed to recognize its programs.

Microbiologists who studied in Nepal work in private labs and pharmaceutical industries, but they lack access to government agencies. Dhiren Subba Limbu, the head of the Microbiology Department at Dharan's Central Technology Campus, believes the program is not inferior to any microbiology program worldwide. However, the lack of internship and clinical exposure has caused them to seek training elsewhere.

The Nepal Health Professional Council (NHPC) is responsible for granting licenses, but the students say they have not received any communication from the Council. Microbiologists work in various public health laboratories and hospitals. Still, they cannot be employed without being registered with the council, which has yet to give licenses to those who studied microbiology.

Microbiologists perform crucial tasks, such as detecting infections through DNA and RNA, and are essential during epidemics. Despite this, the government has yet to recognize their importance and provide licenses to the students.