Prime Minister and Chancellor Balendra Shah appointed Prof. Sujan Babu Marhattha as Purbanchal University's new Vice-Chancellor on Asar 19, 2083 (July 3, 2026), picking him from a three-name shortlist after one of the largest and most contested applicant pools in this round of appointments. Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokharel administered his oath of office and secrecy the same day at the Ministry.
| New Vice-Chancellor | Prof. Sujan Babu Marhattha |
| Appointed | Asar 19, 2083 (July 3, 2026) |
| Selection process | Open competition; 34–38 applicants (reports vary slightly) for the Purbanchal VC post |
| Outgoing VC | Biju Kumar Thapaliya (removed by ordinance, May 2, 2026; later served as caretaker VC) |
Background: who is Sujan Babu Marhattha?
Prof. Marhattha comes to Purbanchal University from Nepal Open University, where he was a professor, and from a earlier stint as Director at the Medical Education Commission (MEC). His candidacy stood out in a large and competitive field: Purbanchal University's vacant VC post drew applications from academics and administrators across Madhesh Province and western Nepal, including sitting professors, former commission officials, and educationists from Biratnagar and beyond.
A notably contested selection process
The race for Purbanchal's VC post drew local attention for an unusual twist: the university's own caretaker (acting) Vice-Chancellor at the time, Prof. Dr. Biju Kumar Thapaliya filed his application at the last moment. Because Thapaliya was simultaneously overseeing the university in an acting capacity while also competing for the permanent post, several professors publicly questioned the fairness of the process, with some describing it as "the referee becoming a player."
In total, 34 people applied for the position, including Dilip Prasad Poudel, Ram Dayal Yadav, Nanda Kishor Sah, Ram Mallik, Ranarayan Yadav, Qadir Alam, Mukhtar Ansari, Binod Kumar Yadav, Krishna Prasad Pandey, Sujan Babu Marhattha, Dhruba Lal Pandey, Madhav Lamsal, Umesh Kumar Acharya, and Janardan Lamichhane.
The Selection and Recommendation Committee, chaired by Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel, shortlisted candidates, conducted presentations and interviews, and ultimately recommended three names to Chancellor Balendra Shah, who appointed Marhattha.
The predecessor: how the previous leadership left
Purbanchal University's Vice-Chancellor, Biju Kumar Thapaliya, was removed from office (along with the university's Registrar and other senior office-holders) under the government's May 2, 2026 ordinance targeting politically appointed office-holders across the education sector. Rather than departing the university altogether, Thapaliya subsequently took on the role of caretaker/acting Vice-Chancellor during the open-competition process.
Faculty representatives note a long-running pattern in Purbanchal University's leadership history. For roughly 15 years, the university's top appointments were effectively decided through political power-sharing among parties rather than open competition; the exact dynamic the 2026 reforms are intended to end.
