Tribhuvan University's Decision-Making Process Influenced by Private and Community Campuses
In recent findings, it has come to light that Tribhuvan University (TU) tends to make decisions regarding the addition of academic programs based on the interests of private and community campuses. This practice has raised concerns about impartiality and fairness in the decision-making process.
TU has been observed to issue public notices allowing certain campuses to add new educational programs, only to retract these decisions when faced with opposition from other groups. This pattern has been evident in two recent decisions made by the university.
During the most recent instance, TU decided to permit campuses affiliated with the Institute of Science and Technology Studies, the Faculty of Humanities and Sociology, and the Faculty of Management to introduce additional educational programs. However, the concerned campuses seeking to add these programs were required to obtain Quality Assurance and Accreditation (QAA) from the University Grants Commission as a prerequisite.
QAA serves as a crucial measure for assessing the quality of educational institutions. Nonetheless, a group of campus administrators affiliated with TU expressed objections, claiming that the decision to add educational programs was biased in favor of specific campuses. In fact, they protested within the university premises, asserting that QAA should be mandatory for their affiliated campus but not for others.
Consequently, in response to the campus management's opposition, TU postponed the decision to add the educational program temporarily. The university intends to establish a task force that will examine the necessary criteria for incorporating educational programs into affiliated campuses. The final decision will be based on the recommendations put forth by the task force.
A member of the Private College Association, who previously protested against TU's decision, highlighted, "TU had specifically favored a select few campuses when deciding to introduce educational programs. Only after we protested did they form a task force to investigate the matter."
On the other hand, Dr. Dhruva Prasad Gautam, the head professor of TU's planning directorate, clarified that the decision to call for notices regarding the addition of educational programs was postponed due to implementation challenges. He emphasized that TU has more than 1000 affiliated campuses, of which only 70 have obtained QAA accreditation.
It is essential for TU to address the concerns raised by various stakeholders and ensure a transparent, unbiased decision-making process when it comes to the addition of educational programs. This will help promote trust, credibility, and equal opportunities for all affiliated campuses.
Tribhuvan University