Tribhuvan University is preparing to launch the semester system for its Master's programmes. It says the move is meant to transform the country's largest and oldest university into a 'centre for excellence.'
Currently, the TU conducts annual exams for the Masters' degrees at the end of an academic session. Professor Gunanidhi Neupane, TU rector, said the idea is to develop the university as a centre for excellence.
He said, "We have chosen the university campus and central departments on the university premises to launch the semester system in the first phase. Later, we will introduce the new system at the Masters level nationwide."
The TU, in accordance with a recent decision of the TU Executive Council, will continue the annual exam system for the Master's programmes. This system applies to the Master's level only.
The TU has 38 central departments, including Physics, Chemistry, Journalism, Law, Population, and Home Science.
Thirty-one of them are located on the university premises, except the central departments of Nepal Bhasha, Home Science, Law, Public Administration, Journalism and Mass Communications, Maithali and Food Technology.
The TU informed that the curricula, admission procedures, and examination systems for the semester system will be different from those for the annual exam-based Master's programmes. The semester system will also cost more.
Professor Neupane said, "Along with the cost, the quality of education will improve." Aman Raj Joshi, chief of the Central Department of English, said, "We recently received a notice from the TU regarding the semester system. We are making preparations for its launch at the Masters level."
He said, "Under the annual exam system, it takes a student around Rs 20,000 to complete a two-year MA (English) programme. The semester system will be costlier." Joshi said they still need to finalise the cost for the semester-based MA (English) programme.
The TU said admission for various Master's programmes under the old system has already begun in some campuses, and enrolment under the semester system will begin in a few months.
