Students Face Challenges in Obtaining NOC for Aboard Education

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology's foreign study department is currently facing significant challenges due to staffing shortages. This situation has led to difficulties in managing the increased demand for No Objection Certificates (NOCs), crucial for students planning to study abroad.

Overwhelmed by Student Demand

• Daily, around 3,500 students visit the department's office at the National Examination Board (NEB) premises in Sanothimi, seeking NOCs.
• The sudden spike in students aiming for education in Japan and Korea has put additional pressure on the limited staff.
• Although the office operates from 7 am to 6 pm, it struggles to issue NOCs to all applicants.

Staffing Constraints and Operational Hurdles

• The department is managed by a small team comprising one deputy secretary, five officers, and six assistant-level employees.
• The resignation of the branch head, Shanti Ram Paudel, underscored the critical need for staff augmentation to cope with the surging number of applicants.

Innovations and Limitations of the Online System

• An online system for NOC application and distribution was launched in June 2023 to streamline processes.
• However, challenges in document verification have necessitated physical presence, leading to long queues.
• The online platform requires applicants to submit their applications and documents for preliminary review before receiving a reference number for further procedures.

Exclusive Services and Integration Efforts

• Initially, the online service caters exclusively to students who have completed their class 12 education from NEB, due to software integration limitations.
• Efforts to integrate the system with the Citizenship Information Management System aim to simplify citizenship verification.

Current State and Future Directions

• The ministry acknowledges the need for physical document presentation by graduates seeking higher education abroad, contributing to the overcrowding.
• Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach, including staff expansion, technological upgrades, and improved service integration.

In summary, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology's efforts to facilitate foreign studies are hampered by staffing and technological challenges. Addressing these issues is critical for enhancing service delivery and supporting students' educational aspirations abroad.

Quick Statistics:

• Peak day applications for No Objection Certificates: 2,000 students
• Maximum daily processing capacity: 1,000 applications
• Work hours for officials: 10 to 12 hours
• Daily verification capacity per official: 100-150 applications
• Number of staff members in the office: 5
• Total NOC certificates issued until March 6, 2024 of the current fiscal year: 66,296
• Top destinations for NOC issuance: 1st Japan, 2nd Canada, 3rd Australia, 4th United Kingdom, 5th United States
• NOC certificates acquired in the previous fiscal year: 110,000
• Amount spent by Nepali students on foreign studies in the previous year: Rs 67 billion
• NOC certificates issued in the fiscal year 2021-22: 114,000
• Colleges with fewer than 100 students in the academic year 2022-23: 555
• Colleges with fewer than 200 students in the same period: 270
• Total number of colleges in the country: 1,155