The University Grants Commission plans to introduce a comprehensive academic schedule, ensuring that student results are announced within 60 days after exams conclude. The commission aims to establish a standardized academic calendar, as the current variations in admission, tuition, examination schedules, and result publication across universities have led to disorder in higher education.
The suggested calendar, developed under the leadership of Chairman Dev Raj Adhikari's team at the Commission, is designed for the smooth operation of classes in all universities and higher education institutions following annual and semester systems. The National Examination Board has announced that the Class 12 exam results will be publicly available by the end of Shrawan. According to the proposed university calendar, once the Class 12 results are published, universities will conduct entrance exams and admissions for students within Ashoj. Additionally, student registration will take place in Kartik, and academic activities will commence from the first week of Mangsir.
The proposal suggests conducting the final examinations for the semester system until the month of Falgun, with the intention of publishing the results within 60 days, which means by the month of Jestha. The proposed calendar also acknowledges the potential implementation of an internal calendar by universities that does not extend the designated timeframe for the annual system. In the case of the annual system, it recommends commencing classes from the first of Mangshir and completing the course by Bhadra, allowing examinations to take place by the 15th of Ashwin. According to this system as well, the results are expected to be publicly announced within two months.
The commission's chairperson conveyed that the suggested calendar was deliberated with various stakeholders, including university authorities and the feedback received was favorable. He further stated that preparations for implementing the calendar have commenced from this academic session. In the course of the discussion, university officials expressed their concerns about the delayed academic session of medical education, attributing it to the Medical Education Commission. Additionally, students and parents voiced their grievances regarding the Commission's prolonged duration for entrance examinations, result publication, and matching processes.
The proposed calendar lacks provisions for timely public announcement of results. Universities continue to admit students even before the Class 12 results, and admissions may extend until the months of Falgun/Chaitra. This practice of admitting students despite the completion of the academic month and the absence of timely examinations needs to be addressed. It took Tribhuvan University a period of 18 months to publicly announce the results of undergraduate exams. Vice-Chancellor Dharmakanta Baskota, has expressed a commitment to publicly release the results of the recent exams within a hundred days. Other universities also face delays of up to six months or more in publishing results. The government's forthcoming budget includes provisions for the commission to monitor and implement the annual academic calendar in universities.
Due to the loss of credibility in higher education, the commission's chairperson highlighted the necessity of an academic calendar. They emphasized the importance of completing a four-year course within four years and a two-year program within two years. The chairperson stated that there should be no delays, not even a single day. Once students are admitted, they should have a guarantee of when they can study, take exams, and receive certificates. The government is preparing to allocate funding with provisions to enforce compliance with the designated timeframe in the calendar, including the authority to withhold funds from universities that do not adhere to it. The university officials, including the vice-chancellor, also expressed the need for a unified calendar.
Shrikrishna Giri, the Vice-Chairman of the commission, expressed the intention to advance the academic sessions based on a consolidated calendar. The preparation of the calendar involved the participation of the Examination Board, officials from various universities, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Education. Their assessment revealed that the lack of uniformity in entrance exams, admission timelines, and final examinations has led to dissatisfaction and increased disappointment. The untimeliness of admissions, exams, and result announcements has resulted in the loss of valuable student time, a decline in academic standards, and diminished international recognition. As a consequence, a significant number of students opt to pursue their studies abroad every year.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the Prime Minister of Nepal and Chairman of the National Development Problem Solution Committee, issued instructions for the implementation of the calendar on Chaitra 13. The High-Level Development and Governance Committee of the National Assembly also provided guidance to universities regarding the timely conduct of academic activities such as teaching, examinations, and result publication. However, the existence of different programs operating on annual and semester systems within universities has resulted in a lack of uniformity in educational activities, as noted by professors. They argue that even in the preparation of exams and the publication of results, a traditional system has been followed, leading to unavoidable delays.
In Nepal, there are a total of 11 federal universities, provincial universities along with their affiliated campuses, and approximately 1,500 educational institutions that offer higher education. These institutions collectively accommodate over 500,000 students.
