Government Tightens Rules for Foreign-Affiliated Colleges in Nepal
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has issued a new directive regarding higher education institutions in Nepal that operate programs affiliated with foreign educational institutions.
The directive, released from Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, aims to ensure transparency, student protection, and proper regulation of foreign-affiliated academic programs. Institutions that have received approval to run such programs are required to strictly follow the guidelines outlined by the ministry.
Key Directives Issued by the Ministry
Institutions must fully comply with the Foreign Affiliated Higher Education Operation Guidelines, 2059, including all mandatory provisions.
If disciplinary actions such as suspension or dismissal are taken against students and such actions negatively affect their studies, institutions must provide support, counseling, and academic guidance to affected students.
Institutions are required to establish a formal grievance-handling mechanism so that students, parents, and stakeholders can submit complaints and receive timely responses.
All fees and charges related to academic programs must be clearly disclosed in a transparent manner. A certified copy of the fee structure must be submitted to the ministry within 15 days.
Institutions must publicly share details such as student intake per class, daily teaching-learning activities, academic schedules, and make this information accessible to students, parents, and the public through notice boards and official websites.
Only the subjects, levels, and program durations officially approved by the ministry are allowed to be conducted, and only at the designated locations.
Institutions must ensure that their websites display only the programs approved by the ministry. Information about programs run by other institutions or groups must not be published under any circumstances.
Scholarships must be awarded in a fair, transparent, and merit-based manner. Details of scholarship recipients must be published on the institution’s website and submitted to the ministry.
Teaching must be conducted only by qualified and competent instructors relevant to the subject area.
Institutions are required to strictly follow all conditions mentioned in the approval letter and guidelines. Failure to comply may result in suspension or cancellation of permission to run the academic programs.
Purpose of the Directive
According to the ministry, the directive is intended to protect students’ academic interests, improve accountability among institutions, and ensure that foreign-affiliated higher education programs operate within Nepal’s legal and regulatory framework.
The ministry has warned that non-compliance may lead to serious administrative action, including revocation of approval to operate such programs.
Official Notice:
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