Key Takeaways:
- All universities must reserve 10 percent of seats for scholarships
- Circulars issued by Tribhuvan, Pokhara, Purbanchal, Far-Western, Rajarshi Janak, and AFU
- Priority given to economically disadvantaged students
Nepal's universities have begun implementing a new government mandate requiring all affiliated campuses and colleges to reserve at least 10 percent of their student intake for full scholarships, with Tribhuvan University, Pokhara University, Purbanchal University, Far-Western University, Rajarshi Janak University, and Agriculture and Forestry University all issuing formal circulars to their constituent institutions within the same week.
The move follows a directive from Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel, who said the policy, already tested successfully within the Kathmandu Metropolitan City school system, is now being extended to the university level to ensure access, equal opportunity, and social justice in higher education.
Under the new arrangement, every university and its affiliated colleges must mandatorily keep 10 percent of their approved student seats reserved for full scholarships. Colleges are required to fill remaining seats only after these scholarship seats have been secured, and must submit scholarship enrolment details to their respective dean's offices and university directorates after admission is complete.
Tribhuvan University's Student Welfare and Sports Directorate, in a circular signed by Director Dr Dipendra Parajuli, directed all constituent and affiliated campuses to implement the free scholarship programme from the academic year 2083/084 onward, in line with existing Executive Council decisions, and to upload scholarship details on their institutional websites.
Pokhara University similarly notified all affiliated schools and colleges that 20 percent of scholarship seats at constituent campuses and 10 percent at affiliated colleges must be reserved, with priority for economically disadvantaged Nepali citizens. The university noted that students whose studies were disrupted during the Gen-Z movement will also be considered under this provision.
Far-Western University directed its affiliated campuses in Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur to reserve 10 percent of approved seats as scholarship seats before proceeding with general admissions for academic session 2083/084. Rajarshi Janak University in Janakpurdham issued a similar circular, warning that colleges found violating the scholarship seat reservation requirement would have their entire admissions cancelled and face action under applicable law.
Purbanchal University, based in Gothgaun, Morang, directed all schools, campuses, and colleges under its various faculties to mandatorily arrange scholarships for at least 10 percent of students entering bachelor's and master's programmes in academic session 083/084. Agriculture and Forestry University in Rampur, Chitwan, separately notified all enrolled bachelor's, master's, and PhD students that institutional email addresses are being provided to facilitate academic and research activities, with students yet to activate theirs directed to apply at access.afu.edu.np.