Apparently under pressure due to ongoing agitation by locals demanding adequate budget for the newly-announced Far West University, Prime Minister Jhalnath Khanal on Monday appointed the VCs for Tribhuvan University, Purbanchal University, Nepal Sanskrit University, Pokhara University where the post of VC was vacant since April 26. PM Khanal also appointed VCs for the newly-approved Far West, Mid West and Agriculture and Forestry universities. [break]
According to Jagdish Regmi, spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, PM Khanal, who happens to be the Chancellor of all the universities in the country, appointed Prof Dr Hira Maharjan as the VC of the country´s oldest Tribhuvan University. Similarly, Prof Maheshwor Man Shrestha, Prof Dr Shiva Hari Marahattha and Prof Khagendra Prasad Bhattarai have been appointed as the VC of Purbanchal University, Nepal Sanskrit University and Pokhara University respectively.
Likewise, PM Khanal appointed Dr Jaya Raj Awasthi, Prof Dr Padam Lal Devkota and Prof Dr Kailash Nath Pyakurel as the VC of Far West, Mid West and Agriculture and Forestry universities respectively.
According to informed sources, of the seven new VCs, four have affiliations with CPN (UML), two with Nepali Congress (NC) and one with UCPN (Maoist). Prof Dr Pyakurel, Prof Dr Marahatha, Prof Dr Maharjan and Dr Awasthi are either members or sympathizers of the CPN (UML). Likewise, Prof Dr Devkota and Prof Bhattarai have affiliations to the NC. Only one new VC, Prof Shrestha, is said to be linked with the UCPN (Maoists).
However, Democratic Professors´ Association, which is close to the NC, says Dr Devkota has already defected to the Maoists.
The association, which has flayed PM Khanal for appointing the VCs while working as the caretaker, has threatened to padlock all seven universities indefinitely from Tuesday. “We are against these appointments,” the association´s first vice president Ashok Koirala said. “PM Khanal has no right to appoint the VCs because he has already expressed his commitment to resign in a five-point deal. In spite of not having moral authority, he acted unanimously. He did not consult us at all. Dr Devkota, who is said to be from the NC, has indeed already defected from our party to join the Maoists.”
Almost all of the seven new VCs have little experience as administrative chief of universities. Dr Pyakurel, who was a member of National Planning Commission (NPC) during the nine-month rule of the CPN (UML), has worked as the dean of the Institute of Agriculture Industry. Prof Shrestha was also an NPC member till recently. Rest of the VCs were working without administrative responsibilities.
Meanwhile, a struggle committee formed by locals in Mahendranagar demanding budget for the Far West University has vowed to continue its agitation, although in different forms, so long as the University Grants Commission (UGC) does not allocate ´adequate budget´ for it. “We will change our form of agitation,” said Khem Raj Airee, a member of the committee.
“But we will continue it unless we receive adequate budget.” Earlier, the committee had announced a three-day general strike in Mahendranagar. The committee had also warned of an indefinite strike throughout the Far West region. However, Airee said they may not continue their general strike in the changed context.
However, Ganesh Gurung, Chairman of UGC, said, “There is no point of any agitation now. The problem was just the lack of office-bearers. This is now resolved. Once the new VC approaches us, we will allocate budget for the Far West University. We can allocate budgets to all the three new universities in a month.”
Related story
Ex-VCs urge govt to depoliticize universities
