TU engineering faculty relenting on affiliations

KATHMANDU, Aug 20: In violation of the decision of its own previous standing committee, the Faculty Board (FB) of Institute of Engineering (IOE), Tribhuvan University (TU), has recommended to the university to give affiliations to two new engineering colleges.



The FB´s new standing committee, headed by IOE Dean Bharat Raj Pahari, has recommended to TU to give affiliations to Sagarmatha and Lalitpur engineering colleges. TU´s approval of the FB´s recommendations is just a customary procedure. The FB´s recommendations, hence, are vital.[break]



Concluding that IOE is under-staffed and ill-equipped, the FB´s previous committee, headed by then dean Baburam Bhattarai, had decided to not recommend affiliations for any new colleges. However, Pahari, who succeeded Bhattarai after the latter´s sudden death due to heart attack, has defied the previous decision.



IOE has already given affiliations to eight private engineering colleges in the past. These private colleges, however, lack state-of-the-art labs and equipment. Their exam performance is also dismal with average pass percentage hovering around 25 per cent, far below than that of four constituent IOE colleges.



Overlooking the already-affiliated colleges´ dismal profiles, IOE does not thoroughly monitor them. More strikingly, the Office of the Controller of the examinations (OCE) at IOE is seriously under-staffed and ill-equipped.



"We cannot examine answer papers of all affiliate colleges," said Durga Prasad Sangraula, who recently resigned as chief of Pulchowk Engineering Campus along with four other senior officials protesting Pahari´s nomination as new dean of IOE. "If IOE gives affiliations to more colleges, we will not be able to examine answer papers."



Sangraula said he wrote a note of dissent against FB´s previous decision to give affiliations to some new colleges last year also. However, former dean Bhattarai, under tremendous pressure from various sides, made recommendations for affiliations. However, according to Sangraula, the FB then decided to not give affiliation to any colleges unless IOE is well-staffed and well-equipped for conducting exams and monitoring.



"We wrote to TU´s Vice Chancellor (VC) in this regard," Sangraula said. "Giving affiliation to more colleges without ensuring quality education is detrimental to the country." Meanwhile, students Tuesday padlocked Dean Pahari´s office to pile pressure on the FB to not give affiliations. Pahari could not be contacted for his reactions.



 

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