Government of Nepal today appointed Vice Chancellors in its four academies. Today Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal appointed Dr. Bharat Yadv, Dr. Rajendra Wagley, Dr. Buddhi Bahadur Thapa and Dr. Rajkumar Rauniyar as the VCs of Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences and BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences respectively.
Earlier, Ministry of Health (MoH) has asked work plans from eligible and interested applicants to institutionalise competency-based selection while appointing the vice-chancellors at varsities. For the first time, the MoH had sought applications to fill the vacant posts of vice-chancellor at Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Karnali Academy of Health Sciences and Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences.
Patan Academy of Health Science and Karnali Academy of Health Sciences have been without vice-chancellors for over six months.The government recently endorsed a guideline on appointment of officials at various units under the MoH, including the health institutions.
Dr. Bharat Yadav, Dr. Rajendra Wagley, Dr. Buddhi Bahadur Thapa and Dr. Rajkumar Rauniyar (from left to right)
According to the guideline, candidates must have master’s degree in medicine and should be a professor or should have worked at the MoH or its units at the 11th level or equivalent to apply for the post of vice-chancellor.
A three-member committee headed by Minister Thapa, also the pro-chancellor of these institutions, which has Dr Senedra Raj Upreti, health secretary, and Dr Geeta Bhakta Joshi, a member of the National Planning Commission had picked the vice-chancellors for these academies.
From the recommended names, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal appointed Dr Bharat Yadav as the vice-chancellor of the Patan Health Science Academy while Dr Rajendra Wagle was appointed as the VC of the Karnali Health Science Academy.
Likewise, Dr Raj Kumar (RK) Rauniyar has been appointed as the VC of the BP Koirala Health Science Academy, Dharan while Dr Buddhi Bahadur Thapa at the Pokhara Health Science Academy.
The post of vice-chancellor at Patan Academy of Health Sciences has remained vacant since August 23 last year after Dr Sangita Singh Bhandari completed her term.
The Karnali Academy of Health Sciences has been running without the VC after Dr Paras Acharya’s tenure ended in May 25. The government is appointing vice-chancellor at Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences, which was established in 2015, following pressure from Dr Govinda KC, who has gone on hunger strikes several times demanding one medical institute in each province.
Post of VC at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) was vacant after tenure of Dr Bala Bhadra Das ended on Janaury 4.
