Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of Shahid Dasharath Chand University of Health Sciences, located in Geta, Kailali, during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Education on Wednesday.
Prof. Dr. Sunil Kumar Joshi was appointed as the University’s Vice-Chancellor, while Dr. Bhim Bahadur Chand was appointed as the Registrar following a decision of the University Assembly earlier the same day. The appointments were made in accordance with the merit-based recommendations submitted by the Recommendation Committee, coordinated by Prof. Dr. Jayaraj Awasthi.
The committee presented its sealed merit-ranking report to the University Assembly through the Pro-Chancellor and Minister for Education and Sports, Sasmit Pokharel. Based on the report, the Assembly appointed the candidates who secured the highest positions in the merit list, as required under Section 25 of the Shahid Dasharath Chand University of Health Sciences Act. The Act mandates that the Recommendation Committee submit the names of three candidates in order of merit, with the top-ranked candidate being appointed.
During the ceremony, Minister Pokharel stated that the selection process was conducted in a fair, transparent, and impartial manner. According to him, ten medical experts evaluated the applicants, and the Recommendation Committee prepared the merit ranking based on those evaluations. He expressed confidence that the newly appointed leadership would enable the university to begin its academic and administrative operations, including teaching activities, within the current year.
The oath-taking ceremony was attended by Pro-Chancellor Minister Pokharel and Minister for Health and Food Safety Nisha Mehta.
About the Vice-Chancellor
Prof. Dr. Sunil Kumar Joshi holds a PhD in Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion from Vinayaka Mission University. Throughout his career, he has contributed to teaching and research at several national and international universities and has served as a departmental member at the University of Oxford.
He previously served as the founding Vice-Chancellor of Shahid Dasharath Chand University of Health Sciences. A resident of Chabahil, Kathmandu, Prof. Joshi holds several academic qualifications, including MD, MPhil, PhD, PGDip, and FRSPH. He has also been actively involved in international research related to medical education and public health.
About the Registrar
Dr. Bhim Bahadur Chand has more than 25 years of experience in health services and health administration. He holds postgraduate and doctoral degrees in Hospital Management and has previously served as a member of the Executive Council of Shahid Dasharath Chand University of Health Sciences.
A permanent resident of Patan Municipality-1, Baitadi, Dr. Chand has also served as a member of the Executive Council of the Nepal Medical Council. He has extensive experience in health service management, policy formulation, and institutional development.
Related Development
In a related decision, the Government of Nepal has approved Geta Hospital to operate as the teaching hospital of Shahid Dasharath Chand University of Health Sciences. The approval was endorsed by the Council of Ministers on Asar 24, 2083 (July 8, 2026), strengthening the university’s capacity for medical education, clinical training, and healthcare services.
