KATHMANDU, Dec 17: In a meeting held last Thursday at Tribhuvan University (TU), Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr Keshar Jung Baral committed not to appoint individuals placed at the second or third position on the recommendation list to TU, saying he himself was in the second position of such a list when he was appointed the VC. However, within a few days, Vice-Chancellor Baral broke the promise he had made.
On Sunday, deans and directors were appointed to TU, based on a power-sharing arrangement in the name of meritocracy. In fact, Vice-Chancellor Baral was in the number 2 position on the recommendation list when he was appointed as the VC of the university. He was appointed as the VC due to his proximity to the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
For this reason, Baral has been given the nickname of "Vice-Chancellor of the second rank." While answering a question by student leader Shyamraj Ojha as to when the deans would be appointed to TU in Thursday's TU Senate meeting, Baral stated, "Just as you all call me the Vice-Chancellor of the second rank, the appointments have been delayed due to efforts to ensure no second-ranked positions at TU." However, his claim has proven to be incorrect.
Vice-Chancellor Baral claimed that he would appoint only those recommended as the number one candidate, but he appointed individuals recommended as the second and third candidates instead. Additionally, Tribhuvan University professors have expressed dissatisfaction after the university appointed associate professors instead of professors.
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Tribhuvan University has appointed Sushil Bahadur Bajracharya (close to the CPN-UML) as the Dean of the Institute of Engineering Studies, despite him being in the third position of the recommendation list. Dr Subarna Shakya and Dr Bhola Nath Sharma were recommended for the first and second positions, respectively.
"I applied with the belief that appointments to Tribhuvan University would be based on meritocracy. However, it seems that they delayed the appointments for four months under the guise of meritocracy, only to engage in party-based distribution," said Shakya, a candidate for the dean position. "They talk about meritocracy, but during the appointment process, what we saw was power-sharing among parties. Among the three of us, I was recommended in the first position. The officials have done great injustice to me."
The university has appointed Professor Dr Dwibinanda Dhakal (close to the Maoist Center) as the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Similarly, it has appointed Professor Dr Mohan Raj Sharma (whose political affiliation is unclear) as the Dean of the Institute of Medicine. The university has also appointed Associate Professor Dr Kishor Chandra Dahal (close to the Maoist Center) as the Dean of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, and Professor Dr Bed Raj Acharya (close to the CPN-UML) as the Dean of the Faculty of Education.
Similarly, the university appointed Associate Professor Dr Thakur Silwal (close to the Nepali Congress) as the Dean of the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science, Professor Dr Mahananda Chalise (close to the Nepali Congress) as the Dean of the Faculty of Management, and Professor Dr Shankar Khanal (close to the Nepali Congress) as the Dean of the Institute of Science and Technology.
Similarly, the Planning Directorate has appointed Associate Professor Dr Laxmikanta Sharma (close to the Maoist Center) as its Director, the Education, Development, and Research Center has appointed Associate Professor Dr Rajendra Kunwar (close to the CPN-UML) as its Executive Director, and the Applied Science and Technology Research Center has appointed Professor Dr Min Raj Bhandari (close to the Nepali Congress) as its Executive Director.
Professor Dr Basanta Dhakal, president of the Tribhuvan University Teachers' Association, stated that appointing associate professors as deans and directors of the Planning Directorate, instead of professors, is creating an environment that negatively affects the academic field. "By appointing associate professors as deans to the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science and the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science, instead of professors, the university goes against its academic advancement goals," Dhakal said. "The Planning Directorate has also appointed an associate professor as its director, even though professors had applied for the position."
The authorities have removed Professor Dr Chitra Bahadur Budhathoki, who was recommended in the first position for the Faculty of Education. They appointed Bed Acharya, whose name was in the second position on the recommendation list, instead. Professor Budhathoki has claimed that the appointment was entirely based on party politics. "They removed me under the excuse that a person who had already been appointed dean would not be appointed again. However, my name was in the first position on the recommendation list," said Budhathoki, a candidate for the Dean of the Faculty of Education. "The appointment violates the established standards."
Educator Kedar Bhakta Mathema stated that any political interference in Tribhuvan University’s appointments goes against the university’s interests. He insists that future appointments should be based on meritocracy. "As former vice-chancellors, we aim to build confidence in making appointments to positions such as the vice-chancellor, rector, and registrar based on merit. Party-based appointments will harm the university, and we want to raise awareness about this," he said.
