The Lumbini Buddhist University has been found flouting the existing legal provision and academic norms while granting affiliation to various colleges.

A report of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the government entity to look after the university education in the country, made public on Thursday shows that the university granted affiliations arbitrarily.

The study conducted by a five-member committee led by Prof Upendra Bahadur Pradhananga found that most of the colleges which were granted affiliations had not fulfilled the criteria to become an affiliated college. Though the university, established in 2006, was authorised for providing education on Buddhist Philosophy, Literature and Culture, it was found to have granted affiliations in the engineering and basic science without having any expertise on it. “The university has flouted the provisions which make it mandatory to have faculty within the university or have a constituent college offering a particular course before grating affiliation for the same subject,” reads the report, adding that the university acted under influence and pressure and that it was also involved in irregularities while granting the affiliations. 

The investigation has found that the colleges, which had been granted affiliations, had investments of former vice-chancellor of LBU and incumbent VC of Tribhuvan University. “This clearly is shows the influence in granting the affiliation,” says the report. 

LBU officials, however, claim the report was motivated in tarnishing the image of the university. While LBU Vice Chancellor Naresh Man Bajracharya dismissed the report as biased, he conceded that one of the six colleges that were granted affiliation had not fulfilled the due process. “We have tried to correct the mistake that was unintentional,” he told the Post. “But it would be wrong to say the LBU had flouted laws in every affiliation.” 

The report has also pointed out that the university accepted the enrolment in the PhD programmes despite having no expertise and faculty on it. Following the complaints about the irregularities, the UGC on Dec 11 had formed the committee to probe into the affiliation process within the university.