The government has begun assigning officiating responsibilities to university office bearers who were earlier removed through an ordinance, raising questions over legal process and administrative consistency.

After dismissing all top officials at once led to disruptions in university operations, the government has started issuing temporary appointments, stating that the arrangement will remain in place until new appointments or alternative decisions are made.

The government had earlier amended university laws through an ordinance and issued dismissal letters to vice chancellors, registrars, rectors and deans. However, it has now reassigned officiating roles to the same individuals, prompting academics to question the legality, procedures and rationale behind the move. Critics have described the decision as arbitrary.

According to officials, the assignments were made under the direction of Prime Minister and Chancellor Balendra Shah, while appointment letters were issued by Education Secretary Choodamani Paudel. On May 2, office bearers of universities and academies were dismissed through the ordinance.

Previously removed officials have been reappointed in officiating capacities in Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu University, Nepal Sanskrit University and Purbanchal University. Similarly, the Member Secretary of the National Examination Board, who was also dismissed, has been reinstated.

Officials say that while the law provides for interim arrangements, the manner in which these appointments have been made has triggered criticism. In Purbanchal University, former Vice Chancellor Bijukumar Thapalia, who was dismissed, has been assigned officiating responsibilities again. The Ministry of Education designated him to oversee university operations until further notice. Ramesh Babu Kafle has been given the responsibility as registrar.

Thapaliya said assistant deans have been assigned officiating duties to ensure day-to-day operations. He added that vacancies also remain in the Purbanchal University Service Commission, but appointments are expected soon. He was originally appointed Vice Chancellor through competition in 2025, under a selection framework introduced by the minister-led recommendation committee.

At Kathmandu University (KU), Prime Minister and Chancellor Shah has appointed examination controller Rishikesh Wagle as officiating Vice Chancellor. KU’s vice chancellor, registrar and deans were all dismissed through the ordinance. Former registrar Rajiv Shrestha has been reassigned by the Ministry of Education, while deans removed from office have been given officiating responsibilities under Wagle.

A formal appointment letter issued by Wagle states that deans will serve in officiating roles until permanent appointments are made, in order to ensure continuity of daily operations.

At KU, most dismissed officials, except former Vice Chancellor Achyut Wagle, have been reinstated in some capacity. However, authorities have not clarified the legal basis for appointing dismissed officials and the examination controller to these positions.

University law states that if the posts of vice chancellor, rector and registrar are vacant, deans may be assigned officiating responsibilities for up to three months until new appointments are made.

Officials at the Ministry of Education say the decisions were made under instructions from the Prime Minister’s Office and Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel.

At Tribhuvan University, only the deans remained in office after the dismissal of the vice chancellor, rector and registrar. These deans have now been assigned officiating responsibilities for those positions by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Chancellor. School of Engineering Dean Sushil Bajracharya has been made officiating Vice Chancellor, Management Dean Mahananda Chalise officiating Registrar, and Science and Technology Dean Shankar Khanal officiating Rector.

Academics say there is no clarity on the criteria used to assign officiating roles among nine deans, raising questions over transparency. Khanal, who was earlier dismissed from the executive council, has now been appointed rector.

Under TU provisions, the vice chancellor recommends names, while the chancellor appoints the rector and registrar.

At Nepal Sanskrit University, Vice Chancellor Dhaneshwar Nepal and Registrar Madhav Adhikari were dismissed. The Chancellor’s Office has appointed Professor Sudhan Kumar Paudel as officiating Vice Chancellor, while Adhikari has been reappointed as the officiating registrar. A professor said the government appears to be assigning responsibilities based on convenience rather than legal procedure.

Ramesh Kumar Joshi, president of the Nepal Professors Association, said the government has interfered in higher education without a clear legal basis or standards. “There is no explanation for why they were removed yesterday, and no explanation for why they were reappointed today,” he said. “The academic sector has been disrespected. Higher education is being undermined. It appears decisions are being driven by mood and impulse.” He added that the government is functioning in a personality-driven rather than rule-based manner.

A senior official said that National Examination Board Member Secretary Jung Bahadur Aryal, who was dismissed through the ordinance, has been reinstated to act in the role. The Member Secretary is typically appointed from among senior board officials by the Cabinet.

At the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT), Mahesh Bhattarai was dismissed from a similar post, while Vice Chair Mohammad Shaphiullah, a political appointee, also resigned following criticism for not being removed earlier.

In other institutions, including Sudurpaschim University, Pokhara University, Agriculture and Forestry University, Mid-Western University and the Nepal Open University, the government has appointed different professors as officiating office bearers to manage operations.

Former Sudurpaschim University Vice Chancellor Hemraj Panta said there is confusion over the differing approaches taken across universities. “In some cases, dismissed officials have been reinstated. In others, new officiating appointments have been made arbitrarily,” he said.

218 applications for Vice Chancellor posts

The government has also initiated the process of appointing new vice chancellors for universities where officials were removed and officiating arrangements were introduced.

According to the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, 218 applications have been received for vice chancellor positions across eight universities. An online call for applications was opened on May 8 for Tribhuvan University, Purbanchal University, Pokhara University, Lumbini Buddhist University, Agriculture and Forestry University, Mid-Western University, Sudurpaschim University and Rajarshi Janak University.

Applicants may apply to up to two universities. “Some candidates have applied for both. We are currently verifying applications. After verification, a shortlist will be published,” a source close to the selection committee said.

The ministry said 50 applications were received for Tribhuvan University, 38 each for Purbanchal and Pokhara universities, 27 for Rajarshi Janak University, 20 for Mid-Western University, 19 for Sudurpaschim, 11 for Lumbini Buddhist University and 15 for Agriculture and Forestry University.

A unified procedure has been issued for the selection and recommendation of vice chancellors for these universities.