KATHMANDU, March 31: Professor Dr Keshar Jung Baral, Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan University (TU), resigned from his position one year after his appointment. He tendered his resignation citing obstructions from various quarters to implement his vision for the university.
Baral, appointed under the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) quota, also cited health issues as a reason for his resignation. Due to health complications, he has mostly worked from home, according to professors.
The Vice Chancellor’s term at TU is four years. Baral’s resignation was submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office by his Personal Secretary Rajman Maharjan. However, the resignation has not yet been accepted.
Tribhuvan University (TU), the oldest and largest university in the country, faces numerous problems, including educational, financial, and administrative challenges. Political interference also plagues the university.
TU Vice Chancellor Baral’s resignation in limbo
Students, teachers, and staff have formed organizations linked to various political parties and engage in politics within the university. The improper practice of appointing officials based on political allocations has deeply rooted itself in TU, making it difficult for any appointed official to work effectively, according to teachers, students, and staff. Teachers, staff, and students continue to hold strikes to pressure the university leadership into fulfilling their demands.
There is a growing pressure to convert partial and contractual teachers into permanent positions by following the proper process. The TU Service Commission’s failure to announce vacancies periodically has affected recruitment, promotions and career development for teachers and staff. Under the guise of political support, teachers, staff, and students often threaten TU officials to serve their own interests. Facing various obstacles and political interference, Baral, the appointed Vice Chancellor, resigned due to both health complications and difficulties caused by the political interference and administrative challenges within the university.
Recently, around three hundred contractual teachers at Tribhuvan University have pressured Vice Chancellor Baral to make their positions permanent through a special internal competition. Currently, the contractual teachers are holding a relay hunger strike in front of the Vice Chancellor's office. Although the Supreme Court has instructed against making contractual teachers permanent through special internal competition, the teachers have threatened to launch a major protest if the process to make them permanent is not advanced by March 30. According to Professor Chitrabhadur Budhathoki, Vice Chancellor Baral resigned due to the pressure from the contractual teachers.
Budhathoki was the top candidate for the position of Vice Chancellor. However, then-Chancellor and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal appointed Baral, who was second in the recommendation list, instead of Budhathoki. Budhathoki stated that Baral’s resignation was primarily due to his physical illness and inability to work effectively.
Before resigning, Vice Chancellor Baral met with Maoist Center Chairman Dahal twice to discuss the numerous issues at the university, his health problems, and his inability to work in the current environment. During their first meeting, Dahal attempted to persuade him to stay, said Budhathoki. "Baral, who was over 68 years old, received advice from his family, including his doctor children, to avoid working under pressure. Due to his health, he visited the university less frequently, and in such circumstances, he found it difficult to work. That's why he resigned," Budhathoki added. Budhathoki is also a former member of the Maoist Center-aligned Nepal National Teachers' Association.
During Girija Prasad Koirala's tenure as Prime Minister, Tribhuvan University appointed 1,380 part-time teachers on contract. Later, the university made 900 of them permanent through a special internal competition. An agreement was made to make the remaining 480 permanent through a special process by mid-April. According to TU's data, about 300 of the remaining 480 contractual teachers are still working at the university.
Students at Tribhuvan University have protested against the agreement to make contractual employees permanent through a special internal process. Three years ago, students Ramesh Bista and Manita Khatri filed a case in the Supreme Court challenging the practice of making contracts permanent through the special internal process. The Supreme Court ruled that no position at the university should be permanently filled through an internal process without open competition. Despite the court’s ruling, university officials face pressure to make contractual teachers permanent.
Jagat Timilsina, president of the Democratic University Teachers Association of Nepal' Association, said the university should now appoint a healthy and capable Vice Chancellor. He emphasized that the government should consider health as a criterion when appointing a Vice Chancellor. "Our Vice Chancellor was very ill. He met with his leader, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, to inform him that he could not work due to health issues," Timilsina said. "Out of 400 contractual teachers, some left, and now about 300 remain. This is the same old process. However, since the Supreme Court ruled that this process is not valid for permanent appointments, the Vice Chancellor could not withstand the pressure and resigned. It is wrong to blame others for this."
Vice Chancellor Baral is staying at his private residence in Pokhara. A source reported that Tribhuvan University's Registrar Kedar Rijal and Rector Khadga KC traveled to Pokhara on Sunday to meet him. Currently, neither the Vice Chancellor, Rector, nor Registrar are available for phone contact. "Registrar Rijal and Vice Chancellor Baral disagreed over staff transfers," the source said. "Additionally, the Vice Chancellor was not allowed to work according to his vision, which led to his resignation. It seems he will not return to Tribhuvan University." Gangaram DC, a member of the Tribhuvan University Teachers' Association, said Vice Chancellor Baral faced non-cooperation while trying to stabilize the university.