Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has appointed Rector Khadka KC as acting vice chancellor of Tribhuvan University on Tuesday.

The appointment comes days after the resignation of Vice Chancellor Professor Keshar Jung Baral was accepted last Thursday. Although the resignation was approved then, no immediate replacement had been named.

The TU Act 1992 provisions that the rector may be appointed as acting vice chancellor for a maximum period of three months when the position is vacant.

In this interim period, the Ministry of Education is required to form a three-member recommendation committee, led by the Education Minister, to initiate the selection process for a permanent replacement.

Rector KC confirmed that he received his appointment letter from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Tuesday.

Baral, who was appointed on February 22, 2024, resigned just over a year into his term. He cited persistent interference and lack of support from the Prime Minister as key reasons for stepping down. Despite initially being seen as a reform-minded leader, Baral found it difficult to implement his agenda in what he described as an obstructive environment.

This leadership reshuffle once again highlights the ongoing administrative instability within TU, and revives broader concerns about political interference and governance challenges in Nepal’s public universities.