Madhesh Agricultural University Becomes Victim of Political Rivalry
The Madhesh Agricultural University, included as a provincial pride project by the Madhesh Provincial Government, has fallen victim to political party rivalry.
After the Madhesh Provincial Government, led by the Janamat Party, made efforts to remove the Vice Chancellor and Registrar appointed by the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Nepal, the academic environment of the Agriculture University has been completely disrupted.
On Falgun 20, 2081, a meeting of the university assembly, held in the presence of Chief Minister Satish Kumar Singh, who also serves as the Chancellor of the university, decided to remove Vice Chancellor Dr. Baidyanath Mahato and Registrar Bhagwan Thakur from their positions.
Following this, Vice Chancellor Mahato filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court against 13 individuals, including Dr. Sohan Sah, Chair of the Investigation Committee formed by the Ministry of Education and Vice-Chairperson of the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission.
Immediately after the dismissal of Vice Chancellor Mahato, the Ministry of Education and Culture, Madhesh Province, issued a notice on Falgun 27, 2081, calling for applications for the post of Vice Chancellor.
According to Sub-section 3 of Section 19 of the Madhesh Agricultural University Act, 2079, the notice stated that qualified individuals could apply until Chaitra 4, 2081.
The ministry also mentioned that the notice was issued according to the decision made on the 26th by the "Vice Chancellor Recommendation Committee." "Based on the irregularities found in the university and the report submitted by the investigation committee, the government removed them from their positions through a majority decision in the Senate," said Rani Tiwari, Minister for Education, Health, and Culture of Madhesh Province. "I also came to know through the media that an interim order has been issued against this decision by the court. The government will proceed formally once it receives official information," she added.
The Madhesh Agricultural University was established during the tenure of Chief Minister Mohammad Lalbabu Raut of the JSP Nepal-led Madhesh Provincial Government. On Mangsir 27, 2078, the university was jointly inaugurated in Rajbiraj, Saptari, by then Madhesh Province Chief Minister and Chancellor Lalbabu Raut, JSP Chair and former Deputy Prime Minister Upendra Yadav, Finance Minister Shailendra Prasad Sah, and Social Development Minister Nawal Kishor Sah.
The university comprises four faculties: Agricultural Science, Animal Health and Veterinary Science, Fishery Science, and Food Technology. There were no major issues during the tenure of the JSP-led government. However, political conflict that emerged after the Janamat Party joined the government has pushed the university into a dire situation.
