After delaying the decision for years, Tribhuvan University (TU) has finally decided to recognise the degrees obtained by Nepalis from open universities on a conditional basis. TU will grant equivalence provided students report back from an open university with a proof that it is in turn recognised by the highest academic board or authority of that country. A number of students have been awaiting the decision as TU’s disqualification has barred them from competing in different exams for jobs and academic purposes. But the condition that the degree preceding the one acquired at an open university must have been obtained through formal process has set the clock back for those students with two or more consecutive open degrees. Nonetheless, Sunday’s decision marks a shift in TU’s conservative outlook, and it should only be a matter of time before the authorities realise the shortcomings of the existing provisions.

Meanwhile, TU is also looked upon by other affiliated institutions as the country’s ultimate administrative and regulatory authority on matters of academic importance, say, on matters such as rejecting or recognising foreign degrees acquired through formal process. Each of TU’s new decisions sets a precedent that its affiliates will follow. But a university that has so much influence on institutions and individuals needs to constantly update its own resources and information pools so that its decisions do not vicitimise anyone. For example, the country’s pioneer university still does not recognise degrees obtained from several other

universities, whose syllabi, infrastructure and quality of education are far more diverse, efficient, reliable and revolutionary than its own. The existing inventory of recognised universities has outlived its time and, unless revised, it cannot always serve as the ultimate reference guide. This has already affected many a good student’s career.

More than the absence of the name of an institution on a document prepared years ago which is at best outdated now, a principled approach that takes into account the syllabus and quality of education of an institution should be the determining factor. Times have changed, and so have several universities in the region. While the most acclaimed learning centres of yesteryears have started getting jaded in some cases, the new and the little recognised ones have evolved to face the onslaught of competition. Hence, if the decision to recognise open degrees broke the ice on the subject, Nepal’s premier university will do real service if it goes even further in streamlining other recognition services it provides to the Nepalis. That must be accompanied by the revision of its own syllabus, learning tools and prevalent techniques.