The Cabinet has agreed to the Education Ministry’s proposal to transform the Tribhuvan University into a central varsity.

Deciding on the ministry’s proposal forwarded a week ago, the government on Tuesday gave a nod, in principle, to begin work towards converting the country’s oldest university into a central varsity. According to ministry Secretary Suresh Man Shrestha, a technical committee will be formed to prepare the transformation procedure. “The TU will get the status of a central university while others will be converted into regional universities,” said Shrestha. The move is said to be targeted to end the ongoing property dispute between TU and the newly opened universities.

As per the three Acts endorsed by parliament on June 17, 2010 to establish the new universities, the TU is supposed to hand over Siddhanath Campus and Siddha Nath Multiple Campus to the Far Western University; and Surkhet Campus (education), Birendra Multiple Campus and Public Science Campus to the Mid Western University. However, the delay in

property handover has marred the efforts of the new universities to start their academic sessions supposed to begin mid-November.

Padlock lifted
Meanwhile, a month-long padlocking of the TU was lifted on Tuesday. The CPN-Maoist-affiliated National Professors’ Association that had been enforcing the padlock agreed to give up the protest after the TU authorities agreed to ensure its representation in decision-making. “The agitators have withdrawn their protest after the agreement,” said TU Registrar Chandra Mani Poudel.

The association was agitating since November 20 to build pressure on the TU to address its 10-point charter of demands. The Association has also demanded its share in every appointment in the university.

source: The Kathmandu Post, 9 Jan 2013