Tasks Before New Vice Chancellor

After a considerably lengthy process of selecting a Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan University, the Chancellor finally appointed an experienced person for the position. Wishing him the best for his successful tenure, congratulations are pouring in from his well-wishing friends and colleagues including the aspirants of the same position. A group of former Vice Chancellors also have offered advice to make the university free from partisan politics. In a joyful mood of congratulations and best wishes offered for success, the apex official might have been elated without considering the adverse situations that have been so deep-seated for many years. 

In reality, there are two trends of comments – one sect of intellectuals who expect some positions by tilting themselves to a particular political group see the Vice Chancellor as one who is making the university, and another sect who is deprived of getting important official positions view the same as involved in unmaking it. Both of these observations represent the two ends of the extremity. Whatever comments the two sects of people furnish, there is no denying that this university has several problems one has to take seriously and launch initiatives to improve the situation. 

Emerging issues

We assume that Tribhuvan University is the only reliable higher education institution from where thousands of students can study every year. There was a time when all government officials, teachers, engineers, doctors, and businesspersons were Tribhuvan University graduates who still cater to the needs of the country. Few other universities worldwide have such a huge number of students, faculties, and infrastructures. Despite the growing number of higher education institutions in the country, the oldest university still holds the major educational space. However, Tribhuvan University has failed to address the emerging issues in higher education. This has been an educational institution that has barely survived as a traditional university without the essence of educational vigour.  

In such a context, the newly appointed Vice Chancellor must have envisioned several plans to rectify the worsening situation of the oldest and largest university in the country. Yet there might be many more unanticipated challenges he might have to face on the way ahead.  As many people say, Tribhuvan University contains many anomalies that have been piled up to make a huge insurmountable mountain. The irony is, as harsh as the comments from nooks and corners have surfaced, the concerned officials have been so deaf to their observations. 

Some obstacles are fundamental and cannot be crossed as easily as the new Vice Chancellor might have thought. As he has said at the outset, his priority is to regulate the academic calendar strictly. The erstwhile Vice Chancellor had also said the same thing when he assumed his office immediately after the appointment but he faced disgraceful days throughout his tenure. The earlier officials were not much different in this case. We hope this reiteration of the new Vice Chancellor may sadly repeat the same this time also. Failure to maintain the academic calendar is indeed one of the problems we have been facing for at least four decades in its total history of six decades. If a university cannot regulate its academic calendar for two-thirds of its operation, any decent observer is sure to consider it shameful. 

As many scholars including the concerned educational authorities reiterate, political power sharing is the topmost obstacle to a free and fair educational environment. The assumption that educational institutions must be free from political power-sharing has already been a cliché, which comes out from well-wishing mouths. Now is the time when they have to overtly say trade unionism of a political nature must end immediately. We know that it does not end simply by saying. Nor does it end itself over time. As the thinkers of the interventionist school of thought argue, someone must intervene to end the undesirable situation. 

Unfortunately, however, even the strong aspirants for the apex position, except a few undaunted, may not have enough courage to intervene in the traditions. Many of them cannot do so because they think they lose opportunities if they are not put on the roster for any other appointment of such kind. This temptation thwarts them from speaking the truth for the well-being of the university. Many suggestions are such that the new Vice-Chancellor must end the appointment based on political power sharing. But the close observers of the situation see no hope in this regard. They argue he cannot resist the colossal pressures of the political trade unions even if he wants. Besides, some independent scholars argue that the politically appointed Vice Chancellor cannot become a truly politically neutral administrator. The first step of his plan will be seen in his recommendation for the appointment of Rector and Registrar.

Research activities 

Another obstacle is the lack of adequate financial resources for the research activities of the university. Unless we can spend a larger budget on research, no university can prosper. Many universities worldwide have become excellent because they have resources that they can spend without hesitation. There are some comments in the academic market that Tribhuvan University has declined its academic height in world ranking because there is little research. 

We should not be utterly hopeless, however. The newly appointed Vice Chancellor must mentally be strong enough to make decent decisions to rectify the situation. First, he must end political power-sharing by appointing high-level officials selected from among senior scholars who are relatively free from the political parties. Second, he should bring out a sustainable plan for academic development. One step, for instance, can be making legal provisions for appointing teachers through free and fair selection only from among the Ph.D. holders. Third, he should seek support from industries and business houses that can employ young graduates in their enterprises. To put it in short, he must be bold enough to cross traditional borders and redraw new boundaries to improve the quality of university education. 

(The author is the chairman of Molung Foundation. bhupadhamala@gmail.com)