The Ministry of Education has recovered more than NPR 104.6 million from faculty members of Tribhuvan University (TU) who did not return to university service after completing study leave, according to Minister for Education, Science and Technology Sasmit Pokharel.
In a recent Facebook post, Minister Pokharel stated that the government's efforts to promote good governance, accountability, and institutional discipline in higher education have yielded notable results. He highlighted that the recovery of funds from faculty members who failed to fulfill their service obligations after receiving study leave support is a significant achievement in strengthening accountability within public institutions.
According to the minister, study leave is a special provision intended to develop qualified, research-oriented, and internationally competent academic human resources for universities. However, some faculty members did not return to serve the university after benefiting from state-funded study opportunities, resulting in financial, academic, and ethical losses for the institution. The ministry, taking the issue seriously, encouraged TU to initiate investigations and legal procedures to recover the funds. As a result, the recovery process has accelerated, and additional faculty members are reportedly in the process of returning the money.
Data provided by TU shows that 41 faculty members have so far returned a total of NPR 104,656,804. Among the 191 faculty members identified as having failed to return after study leave, 62 have submitted applications related to fund recovery. The investigation committee has issued notices to 54 individuals, while several other cases remain under review.
Minister Pokharel noted that the achievement extends beyond financial recovery and represents an important step toward ensuring public accountability, maintaining institutional discipline, and strengthening public trust in the higher education system. He also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to protecting public resources and improving the quality of higher education through transparency and good governance.
TU had formed a three-member investigation committee led by Dr. Kafle, with Krishna Hari Acharya and Deepak Tiwari as members, to investigate cases involving teachers and staff who did not return after study leave. The committee's findings revealed that approximately 398 faculty members had misused study leave provisions.
According to the investigation report, 191 faculty members failed to return to service after completing their study leave, while another 207 did not complete their studies despite receiving leave benefits. The investigation committee was formed by the TU Executive Council on Poush 21, 2081, following concerns about the misuse of study leave and the resulting losses to the university. TU estimates that such cases have caused losses exceeding NPR 2 billion.
Under the Tribhuvan University Teachers and Employees Service Regulations, 2050, faculty members who utilize study leave for more than three years and up to five years are required to serve the university for at least five years upon their return. Those who take study leave for three years must serve for a minimum of three years after completing their studies.
The university continues to investigate remaining cases and pursue fund recovery from those who failed to meet their obligations after benefiting from publicly funded study leave programs.
