It has been one and a half months since Tribhuvan University, which has five lakh students, has been without a vice-chancellor. However, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is also the Chancellor, has not even started the basic process of appointing a new Vice Chancellor. The mentality that the university runs without academic and administrative leadership shows that our future is in doubt.

Such an ad hoc tendency not only repeats the disorder in the university, but also institutionalizes the authority's control and intervention. Therefore, the Chancellor and the Prime Minister should start the process of appointing the Vice-Chancellor as soon as possible and provide competent leadership to the university. At the same time, political-party commitment should be led to make the university an academic place free from political interference.

Kesharjung Baral was appointed as Vice-Chancellor on February 10, 2080. Baral was the first person to be appointed vice-chancellor through open competition in the 6-and-a-half-decade history of the university. Baral, who moved forward by forming a team, took political interference to the sidelines in the university. His reform efforts also received positive feedback from the academic field. However, citing Prime Minister Oli's non-cooperation and interference, Baral resigned on 15 March, which was accepted on 28 March. Oli made Rector Khadg KC the Acting Vice-Chancellor on 2 Baisakh. Duvinand Dhakal, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Sociology, has been working as the Rector. But since the process of appointing a new vice-chancellor has not been started, the mentality is that the university will continue as it is.  There is a need for interventionist initiatives for

university reform. However, the regular work of the Vice-Chancellor has also been disrupted. The promotion of university professors has not been recommended. For the posts that are vacant, promoted and appointed through open competition, the work to be recommended to the Tertiary Services Commission will be postponed. Similarly, university policies and programs and budgeting may be affected. There is an Acting Vice-Chancellor for decisions that need to be taken immediately, but he is appointed for a period of three months, so there is little chance of him taking decisions that will have long-term effects. On the other hand, the work of the academic sector has been affected because the rector, who leads the academic work of the university, has to work as the vice-chancellor. This does not achieve effective results. That is why the chancellor i.e. the prime minister should immediately start the process of appointing a new vice chancellor.

In section 18(2) of the Tribhuvan University Act, there is a provision that 'a committee consisting of two members of the Senate (University Assembly) under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor (Minister of Education, Science and Technology) will be formed from the Chancellor (Prime Minister) to submit a recommendation for the appointment to the post of Vice-Chancellor of the University and on the recommendation of that committee, the Vice-Chancellor will be appointed'. Previously, the recommendation committee had asked for the application. That is why his appointment was considered transparent. Even now, Oli is under a moral obligation to follow the same process. If we want to improve the university, the appointment of the vice chancellor should be made more transparent and credible. The Act requires the Prime Minister to initiate the process for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor. However, he has not prioritized this work. This context is not only connected with the simple task of appointing a vice-chancellor. It is also a question of sensitivity towards the educational reform of the country and the future of our youth and the country as a whole.