Prof. Dr. Ajay Kumar Mishra has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Rapti Academy of Health Sciences (RAHS) in Ghorahi, Dang. The appointment closes out a caretaker period at RAHS that began when the academy's leadership was removed under a nationwide ordinance in May 2026.
| New Vice-Chancellor | Dr. Ajay Kumar Mishra |
| Selection process | Open competition run jointly across 6 health science academies; 17 applications accepted for Rapti; interviews held Asar 17, 2083 |
| Caretaker leadership | Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suresh Rasaili, Acting Director |
Selection process: a joint competition across six health science academies
Rapti Academy's Vice-Chancellor post was filled through the same joint process covering six government health science academies Rapti, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, NAMS, BPKIHS, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences, and Karnali Academy of Health Sciences under the "Integrated Procedure for the Selection and Recommendation of Vice-Chancellors of Health Science Academies, 2083."
- Applications were invited around Jestha 4, 2083. Of 113 applications received across all six academies, 17 applicants filed for the vice chancellor post for Rapti Academy of Health Sciences.
- A shortlist of 86 candidates across all six academies was published on Asar 2, 2083.
- Interviews and presentations for Rapti candidates were held on Asar 17, 2083 (July 1, 2026), a day after most of the other academies, alongside Karnali's candidates.
- A Selection and Recommendation Committee, formed under Minister of Health and Food Safety, Nisha Mehta, forwarded a shortlist of names to the Council of Ministers for final appointment.
The predecessor: how the previous leadership left
Under the "Special Arrangement for Removal of Public Office-Holders Ordinance, 2083," issued on Baisakh 20, 2083 (May 2, 2026) alongside a parallel ordinance amending laws governing Health Science Academies, 31 office-holders at Rapti Academy including the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, a Dean, and a Director were removed from office in a single action, mirroring the same nationwide sweep that affected Patan, NAMS, BPKIHS, Pokhara, and Karnali academies.
The Ministry of Health and Population assigned Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suresh Rasaili as Acting Director at Rapti Academy to keep it running through the open-competition process that has now concluded with Dr. Mishra's appointment.
