• New universities should be under the supervision of provincial governments

Kathmandu, June 20

A delegation from Nepal University Teachers’ Association today called on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur  Deuba to submit a 19-point memorandum that sought status of central-level universities for different universities established in the country.

The Association demanded that universities to be established in future should be recognised as provincial universities. There are presently nine universities running under the investment of the state in the country.  The association, said that it was not necessary for the state to open new universities as central universities and suggested that new universities should be under the supervision of the provincial government by keeping Tribhuvan University, Nepal Sanskrit University, Pokhara University, Kathmandu University, Lumbini Bouddha University, Mid-western University, Far-Western University and Agriculture and Forestry University as central universities.

Receiving the memo, PM Deuba said the government was positive towards the demand. Talking to RSS, Association Chairman Rameshwor Upadhyay said, “All provinces have at least one university as central university. There will be competition between central-level and provincial-level universities.” On the occasion, Prime Minister Deuba said he was positive about moving ahead on the basis of reorganisation of central and

province-level universities to make higher education systematic. The 19-point memo demands salary scale of TU teachers be of the SAARC-level, creation of environment conducive for research and formulation of higher education policy of federal Nepal.