The Tribhuvan University Senate on Monday decided to form a five-member high-level committee to devise a way to hand over TU property to three newly formed universities.

Though TU authorities were against tabling any proposal to this effect, the committee was formed after Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, who is the ex-officio chancellor of the university, directed to take a concrete step towards property handover.

Three new universities—Far-western University, Mid-western University, and Forestry and Agriculture University—have failed to start their academic programmes owing to the TU denial to hand over its constituent colleges that were turned into universities.

The committee, comprised of Education Secretary Suresh Man Shrestha, Prof Kedar Bhakta Mathema, Prof Ram Man Shrestha, Prof Yogendra Narayan Badbariya and Kuber KC, will carry out a feasibility study and develop the criteria for the property handover.

The senate also endorsed a Rs 7.82 billion budget for the fiscal year 2012/13. The meeting unanimously decided to amend legal provisions for open, internal and special internal competitions to ease the process to permanently appoint contract lecturers. It also endorsed the TU executive committee agenda to double the senators’ allowance to Rs 1,600 per meeting.

Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Bhattarai expressed his concern over the TU failure to implement its academic calendar and to conduct periodic examinations and publish their results on time.

“The TU, being the oldest and largest university in the country, should take a lead in updatingits curricula to the changing times. However, it has failed to take appropriate steps towards than end,” he remarked.

Senate decisions
> Rs 7.82 billion TU budget approved for FY 2012/13
> Law amendment for permanent appointment of contract lecturers
> Senators' allowance doubled to Rs 1,600 per meeting

source:The Kathmandu Post,16 Oct 2012