All of Nepal’s public universities and health science institutions have approved their annual budgets and academic plans before the start of the new fiscal year 2082/83. This is a big step forward for the country’s education system. Prime Minister and Chancellor K.P. Sharma Oli led this coordinated effort, which set a new standard for how higher education is run.
A First in Nepal’s Academic History
For the first time ever, all of Nepal’s universities, even those that focus on health sciences, held their Senate sessions on schedule and finished their budgets. People have commended the move for keeping financial openness, accountability in government, and following the rules set by Parliament and the government.
Chancellor Oli’s constant direction led to this success across the country. For more than six months, he stressed the importance of timely budget approvals. The government didn’t like the long-standing pattern of suggesting budgets that were either unfunded or had a deficit. Instead, institutions were told to make realistic and doable budget plans to make sure they were more fiscally responsible.
Coordinated Senate Meetings Across the Nation
The process of approving the budget ended just before the conclusion of the fiscal year on Asar 32, 2082. It was the 78th Senate meeting for Nepal Sanskrit University and the 18th assembly for Lumbini Buddhist University.
On Asar 31, just one day before, four colleges held successful Senate meetings:
- Far Western University (13th assembly)
- Purbanchal University (41st assembly)
- Patan Academy of Health Sciences (15th assembly)
- Agriculture and Forestry University (14th assembly)
Earlier, on Asar 30, Mid-West University and Rajarshi Janak University conducted their meetings, while Tribhuvan University, Nepal’s oldest and largest university, held its annual meeting on Asar 26. Pokhara University had already held its 25th Senate meeting on Asar 25.
Other institutions such as Kathmandu University, Rapti Academy of Health Sciences, and Karnali Academy of Health Sciences had finalized their budget sessions even earlier.
New Leadership and Rescheduled Policy Meetings
On Asar 25, there was a big change in the administration when Professor Dr. Deepak Aryal was named the new Vice-Chancellor of Tribhuvan University. Because of this, a policy-level debate that was supposed to happen on Asar 26 has been put off and will happen later.
Despite a tight schedule involving an international UN visit to Spain, political meetings, disaster responses in Rasuwa, and public events in Jhapa, PM Oli ensured that every institution under his leadership completed its Senate meeting on time.
Stronger Audits, No More Delays
A major focus this year has been on ending the delays in audit report submissions. The Prime Minister has made it clear that budgets not passed before the fiscal deadline (Shrawan 1) will no longer be endorsed post-deadline, urging universities to adhere strictly to financial accountability standards.
Ghanshyam Upadhyaya, Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, praised the initiative, noting that early budget approvals have brought about greater coordination between the government and universities, while reinforcing audit systems and program transparency.
Reinforcing Academic and Financial Governance
According to Professor Dr. Sharda Thapaliya, Vice-Chancellor of Agriculture and Forestry University, the clear and consistent direction from Chancellor Oli has been vital in promoting academic calendar enforcement, institutional stability, and good governance in higher education.
In the past, colleges regularly missed budget deadlines because of problems with leadership, disagreements between staff members, or political problems inside the school. This caused academic programs to be postponed and financial chaos. But this year’s achievement shows that Nepal’s higher education system can change for the better with strong leadership and good preparation.
