TU to implement semester system across country

Kathmandu, January 30

All constituent and affiliated colleges of Tribhuvan University across the country will start implementing semester system for all master’s degree programmes from the new academic session.

Till now, only colleges inside Kathmandu Valley and some private colleges outside the valley used to run master’s degree programmes under the semester system. However, colleges were not able to offer all the courses under semester system. With this, TU has now completely phased out master’s degree programmes run under the annual system.

Most of the colleges have started admission process for the new academic session and classes will start from the first week of March, according to the TU Rector Sudha Tripathi. The colleges are also not allowed to enrol more than 60 students in a section after the implementation of the semester system.

The provision of private examinations will also be cancelled from next year, allowing the previously registered students to take exams, according to Rector Tripathi.

The new system, on the other hand, has made attendance mandatory for students and they will also have to submit assignments given by the lecturers on time to qualify for the exams conducted at the end of the semester.

Rector Tripathi said, “Semester system will discourage absenteeism compel students to complete assignments and projects given by the lecturers to qualify for examinations.”

“Semester system will help the teachers know their students’ weaknesses and strengths, provide more time to teachers to work on research and assignments and provide timely feedback,” she added.

Since TU colleges do not start classes at the same time across the country, semester system might get affected. Hridish Pokhrel, executive director at Office of Planning Directorate at TU, said in the initial phase, students may face some problems regarding exam schedule and syllabus completion, among others. “We need support from all sides till we can finalise an academic calendar,” Pokhrel said. He also said after finalising academic calendar of TU, credit transfer system could be effectively implemented.

There are 60 constituent colleges and more than 1,084 private and public colleges affiliated to TU. It is the largest university in the country and considered as the ninth largest in the world. It offers more than 2,000 post-graduate programmes in various faculties.