Students’ unease grows as IoE postpones entrance exams

Kathmandu, Oct. 5:The Institute of Engineering (IoE) had planned entrance examinations in 12 different Bachelor-level engineering courses at five constituent campuses and 10 affiliated campuses for the new academic session after September 11. It had opened applications for the entrance examinations from August 22 to September 5.

However, application processes and entrance examinations for two of the courses – Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) and Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch) – were called off by the IoE on August 26. Since then, engineer aspirants have been waiting impatiently for the entrance examination.

Dozens of Facebook groups on entrance examinations of engineering courses formed for the ease of aspirants were filled with students’ concerns regarding the entrance examination until October 2. 

The concerns came to an end when a notice by the IoE on October 2 said that the application processes would open on October 4, 5 and 6, and the entrance examinations would begin after October 9.

While the students were happy that the entrance was finally taking place, a notice on Wednesday left them in dilemma once again.

“The entrance examinations for the 2023/24 academic session cannot be conducted in the schedule put forth by the notice of October 2 because of the resignation en masse by members of the Examination Board and advisors of the IOE,” read a notice by the IoE on Wednesday.

Chairman of the Examination Board Sushil Bahadur Bajracharya, members Sanjiv Prasad Pandey and Kiran Chandra Dahal, member-secretary Bidur Dhakal, and advisors Suraj Lamichhane and Hikmat Raj Joshi gave mass resignation citing that the entrance examination could not be conducted in the schedule made public on October 2.

Some officials of the IoE also said that Shashidhar Ram Joshi, Dean of IoE, had to sign the notice on October 2 under duress. The signature on the notice also shows that it was either signed forcefully or forged.

A notice signed by Dean Joshi on Wednesday states that he was forced to sign the notice of October 2. 

Dean Joshi had been stating clearly that the IoE could not function if they could not increase the fee structure. The fee for B.E. and B. Arch was revised by the IOE after a recommendation from the fee revision committee on August 10. However, protests demanding the IOE not implement the new fee, which was more than doubled, started kicking off.

As per the revised fee structure of the IOE, the total fee for eight semesters (four years) of B.E. and B. Arch is Rs. 775,720 for full-paying students. It was Rs. 318,880 earlier.

An agreement was reached between student associations and Tribhuvan University officials to not implement the new fee structure and to resume the entrance examination process. However, since the agreement did not have a representative from the IoE, it was not implemented.

“Keeping in mind the poor economic condition of IOE and its constituent campuses, an all-party meeting and discussion should find a proper solution to ensure the campuses operate as international-level academic and research centres,” read a statement signed by campus chiefs of four constituent campuses – Pulchowk Campus, Western Region Campus, Thapathali Campus and Purwanchal Campus – under IOE on August 27.

Issuing a notice on October 4, Pulchowk Campus has also clarified that the campus cannot conduct classes for the new academic session if it cannot implement the increased fee structure.

While the discord continues, students are confused, agonised and frustrated as the entrance examination has become uncertain once again.

However, the Wednesday’s notice issued by dean Joshi states that the IoE is trying its best to conduct the entrance examinations soon by upholding IoE’s dignity. 

Nevertheless, TU and IoE officials could not be reached on the phone despite repeated attempts. Similarly, the Education Ministry has remained silent citing that the TU and IoE are autonomous institutions.