Even two days after a high-level commission submitted its report, the government has yet to give its official statement over implementation of recommendations, including action against 43 individuals, including top Tribhuvan University officials.

The probe panel, led by former chairperson of Special Court Gauri Karki, has recommended action against big names including TU Vice Chancellor Tirtha Khaniya, Registrar Dilli Upreti and Rector Sudha Tripathi for their “dubious” roles in granting affiliation to private medical schools. The commission has blamed their “leadership” in “degrading the quality of medical education” in the country.

The panel has also recommended action against Nepal Medical Council (NMC) officials, including its former president Dr Damodar Gajurel and Registrar Dr Nilmani Upadhyay.

“We are reviewing the report. It will be made public soon,” said Education Minister Gopal Man Shrestha, adding that the government would implement the recommendations.

In its report submitted to the government this week, the commission has also proposed action against former TU vice-chancellor Hira Bahadur Maharjan, legal adviser Narayan, among others.

In case of the incumbent office bearers of the TU, the commission has recommended for their immediate dismissal and be deemed incapable for any government position. It has also called for further action against controversial formal chief of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority Lokman Singh Karki.

“We have done our part. The onus now lies on the government to implement the report,” said Karki without divulging details.

Dr Govinda KC, a crusader fighting against anomalies in the medical education sector, said the government should immediately make the report public and take action against the officials. “There should not be any ‘if’ and ‘but’ when it comes to the quality of medical education in the country. It is time for everyone to understand that the medical education sector is deeply troubled and the commission has identified a majority of the officials who have contributed to this,” said Dr KC. “Action should be immediately taken against them.”

Following sustained pressure from Dr KC, the government had formed the commission to investigate the anomalies. The Karki-led committee also included Dr Upendra Devkota, a revered neurosurgeon and Surya Prasad Gautam, joint secretary at the Ministry of Education as members.

Ex-NMC registrar under fire

The report of the commission has questioned the deeds of former Nepal Medical Council Registrar Dr Nil Mani Upadhyay  that led to “deterioration in the quality of the country’s medical education”.

“Dr Upadhyay was found to have ‘cosied up’ to private medical colleges from the beginning and ‘a thorough investigation should be carried out against him,” the report states.

An official at the Prime Minister’s Office, said that Dr Upadhyay has also been charged with intimidating doctors and officials at medical colleges when he was an advisor to the then CIAA chief Lokman Singh Karki.

During his tenure as registrar, Dr Upadhyay had usuriously increased medical seats for private medical colleges while reducing the quotas for the government medical colleges.