KATHMANDU, March 30: In a bid to fix chronic delays and a number of anomalies seen in higher education, the newly formed government has decided to introduce a unified academic calendar for universities, aiming to ensure students graduate on time.
The move targets a long-standing problem where four-year undergraduate programs often stretch to six years, and two-year master’s degrees remain incomplete even after four. “Arrangements will be made for universities to publish results for undergraduate and postgraduate levels in accordance with the calendar provided by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology,” states point 87 of the government’s agenda. “The government will formulate the academic calendar itself to ensure students complete their studies within the specified timeframe.”
In another significant shift, the government has decided to scrap the citizenship requirement for students pursuing undergraduate studies. “Universities will immediately introduce necessary procedural arrangements to allow students to study up to the undergraduate level without requiring citizenship,” the agenda states under point 88.
The government is also moving to curb political interference in education. Party-affiliated student structures will be dismantled from school and university premises within 60 days, while alternative mechanisms—such as student councils or student voice platforms—will be developed within 90 days to better represent students.
These measures are part of a 100-point governance agenda endorsed by the Cabinet during its first meeting on March 27 under Prime Minister Balendra Shah. Education reforms fall under points 86 to 89 and are slated for immediate implementation.
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Tribhuvan University (TU) Rector Prof Khadga KC said the citizenship requirement emerged after the phase-out of the Proficiency Certificate Level, mainly to maintain accurate student records. However, he clarified that it was never strictly mandatory and did not prevent students from continuing their education.
He noted that efforts to integrate school education up to Grade 12 date back to 1991/92, eventually leading to the introduction of the Plus Two system. “Following the implementation of Plus Two, Tribhuvan University gradually reduced admissions. By around 1992/93, the Proficiency Certificate Level was discontinued in many faculties and legally phased out by 1996,” KC said. “After being integrated into the school system, it was fully phased out from Tribhuvan University in 2011, allowing the university to focus on undergraduate programs.”
KC explained that citizenship had primarily been requested to maintain accurate student data in the absence of a comprehensive system. “However, it is not mandatory, and students are not barred from studying without it,” he said, adding that if the requirement is removed, the state should link university data with Plus Two records for better data management.
He also pointed out that citizenship helped ensure consistency between names on academic certificates and official documents. “Students enrolling in undergraduate programs are typically over 18 and already possess citizenship,” he added.
Kathmandu University (KU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Achyut Wagle welcomed the Cabinet’s decision, calling it a positive step toward widening access to higher education. He said KU had required citizenship mainly for record-keeping, especially given the presence of international students. “For foreign students, passports suffice. Citizenship was mainly sought to maintain accurate data on Nepali students,” he said. “Now that the government has decided otherwise, it will help ensure easier access to university education for all.”
Wagle also welcomed the plan to remove political organizations from educational institutions, saying it would allow academic activities to run without disruption. “If the government successfully implements a unified academic calendar, it will bring consistency across universities,” he said, noting that whether the calendar should be prepared by the ministry or the University Grants Commission remains open for discussion.
According to him, Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) is currently pursuing a PhD in Heritage Architecture at KU. He has completed four seminars and is now working on his thesis. Minister for Education and Science and Technology Sasmit Pokharel has also completed a five-year Management and Law program from the same university.
Under point 89, the government has also decided to scrap internal examinations for students up to Grade 5 from the next academic session. Instead, alternative evaluation systems that minimize psychological pressure on students will be introduced, although this will require curriculum revisions.
Similar reforms in the past—such as the grading system introduced in the School Leaving Certificate (SLC)—have had mixed outcomes. While all students were allowed to pass, it reportedly weakened overall academic performance. Private schools continued internal assessments, but community schools largely followed the government’s liberal promotion policy, advancing students without exams. The impact later became evident in Secondary Education Examination (SEE) results.
After pass rates fell below 25 percent, the National Examination Board, under then Chair Mahashram Sharma, introduced a rule two years ago requiring students to secure at least 35 marks to pass the SEE. This move helped revive both teaching and learning practices. However, experts now warn that scrapping exams up to Grade 5 could again weaken academic discipline among students and teachers.
Meanwhile, Minister Pokharel held his first meeting at the ministry on Sunday, gathering feedback from heads of all seven divisions, according to Information Officer Madhu Prasad Ghimire. “The meeting, chaired by the minister, lasted for three and a half hours,” Ghimire said. “The minister sought briefings from the heads of divisions including science and technology, nuclear materials, administration, planning and monitoring, technical and vocational education, school education, and higher education.”
He added that the ministry has directed officials to streamline programs, clearly distinguish between necessary and unnecessary expenditures, and ensure efficient implementation of plans.
