After the Tribhuvan University Service Commission advertised for the appointment of 130 teachers through an open competition on May 21, 2082, the opinion of the stakeholders has been divided. In order to prevent this, there have been actions such as lock-down, prohibition of entry of officials and even filing a case in court.

The protestors are alleging that they are going to make permanent appointments without written examination and are going to fast-track their recruitment. Is it really so? If we want to reform the university, it is necessary for scholars who have seen and understood the universities of the world and studied higher education there to destroy this confusion in time. 

The main responsibility of a university teacher is to teach and conduct research. The responsibility of the professor is to prepare the curriculum, conduct examinations, evaluate, create new knowledge, publish research papers, participate in seminars and conferences, as well as participate in academic, social or professional activities outside the university and share knowledge and skills, and provide educational guidance to the society by participating in the policy making process. 

According to the nature of the university, the educational programs it conducts and the need, there is a practice of appointing two types of professors, namely teaching professors (teaching faculty) and research professors (research faculty). But teaching faculty are also involved in research and research faculty also take certain class load. In tertiary institutions, teachers only have to teach 12 to 15 hours per week. The rest of the time is allocated for conducting research, examinations, thesis supervision and participation in seminars and conferences. 

In accordance with the authority given by Rule 126 of the Rule 2050 of the Rules on Teachers, Staff Services, the Executive Council has created the ``Regulations on Recommendations for the Appointment of Teachers, 2075'' for regular recruitment and promotion with a clear basis for the appointment of teachers. In the regulation, there is a provision for appointment of associate professors through 100 percent open competition and associate professors and professors through 20 percent open and 80 percent internal competitions.

In sub-regulation (7) of regulation 8 of the same regulation, the university can fill up a certain number of vacancies in the teaching service on the basis of research specialization as per the need. In accordance with the same provision, "Regulations regarding the recommendation of appointment of teachers through open competition based on trivi research specifications, 2082" has been created. 

There is a provision in Rule 95 (1) of Tertiary Teachers and Staff Service Rules, 2075 regarding the type of examination to be taken by the Service Commission while selecting candidates for university service posts. It provides for written examination, practical examination, selection, evaluation, interview and other methods prescribed by the commission. In the sub-rule (2) of the same rule, there is a provision that the evaluation method related to the examination as per sub-rule (1) will be as prescribed by the Commission. The Tertiary Rules do not mandate any one method. The type of examination method to be adopted depends on the type of manpower that is going to be selected. 

In the early days, the academic program at Tribhuvan University was more teaching-oriented than research-oriented. Therefore, the main responsibility of the professor was classroom teaching and more emphasis was placed on the appointment of teaching professors (teaching faculty) during selection. In this background, the written test was made the main basis while selecting the vice-professors. As associate professors and professors are more engaged in research, written examination is not mandatory even in open competitions. Therefore, selecting teachers for the same post through different methods and not conducting written examination even in open competition is a regular practice adopted by the Tertiary Services Commission since its inception. 

Recently, MPhil and Vidyavaridi degrees have been established in almost all subjects in tertiary institutions, research work has been made compulsory even at post-graduate level and research work has to be emphasized to compete at the international level. Now, in order to be listed in the institutions that measure the international level of the university and to be at a higher level, it has become mandatory to publish high-level research works. 

Terri University also feels that it is imperative to bring in excellent manpower in research and has appointed 20 people as professors and associate professors for the first time on October 5, 2073, and for the second time on December 3, 2076, on the basis of academic excellence under the Higher Education Reform Project run by the University Grants Commission with the support of the World Bank. Even the World Bank has mentioned it as a major achievement in its report. As a continuation of this, this time an advertisement has been made for the appointment of teachers based on research specifics. 

A candidate's research competence cannot be tested through a written examination conducted in a three-hour classroom setting. Therefore, to ensure that the qualified person is selected, the selection process is fair and transparent, specific criteria and examination methods in accordance with international practice are provided in the regulation. To be eligible for the candidate must have published a research article at least in a Scopus indexed journal as the first author.

Founded by Elsevier in the Netherlands, Scopus is the largest and most trusted database of academic and research journals. Based on the impact and quality of articles published in the journal, this organization classifies journals as Q-1 (within the top 25 percent), Q-2 (within 25 to 50 percent), Q-3 (within 50 to 75 percent) and Q-4 (all the rest). Candidates must score at least 70 percent marks in research and writing to be selected for interview.  Only works published within 10 years of

are evaluated. To achieve this qualification, one must be involved in research for a long time even after graduation. A foreign expert is mandated in the interview and he is given the privilege to fail the candidate if he is not satisfied. Therefore, a candidate is not recommended for appointment unless he/she clears three tough hurdles. Along with this, there is a provision to evaluate the candidate's teaching experience in other universities, research supervision and research experience. 

Is there a fair and qualified selection only through the written exam? Not at all. The fairness of an examination depends more on the integrity and ethics of the person involved than on the method. An example of this is the Tertiary Services Commission itself. In the past examinations conducted by the Commission, experts were selected for the setting, experts provided question papers and answers to the examinees, the results were changed by adding and subtracting and correcting marks, marks were given to those who only answered the questions, marks were given to those who did not write answers, passing based on indications, etc. This fact alone proves that the selection process is not fair in taking the written test. 

Provision has been made in the University rules that teachers can be given paid study leave for up to 5 years to improve their studies. Using this facility, it has been found that hundreds of teachers have been approved for study leave in the past and went to study in foreign universities, and a large number of them did not return to Nepal, returned without completing their studies, took study leave and took jobs elsewhere during that period. As a result of this, the University is facing huge financial losses, and the need to replace part-time and contract teachers, once hired cannot be fired, partial contracts and contracts are always being demanded to be made permanent.

Now, although there are partial and contract teachers and some student groups behind the scenes who oppose the appointment of teachers based on research specifics, behind the scenes, it can be assumed that there is a group of professors who run the party office more than the classroom, never do research and publication, kill positions with various tactics, do not allow the university to run according to law, and always obstruct the reform efforts.

Such a group has been active in the university for a long time and has confused even the top political leadership. They suffer from the fear that if someone more qualified than them enters the university, their future will be insecure, they will get the opportunity even in official appointments, their politics will not be sold and they will be gradually displaced. So they are trying to stop this process using all kinds of measures. 

It is necessary to adjust the appropriate policy, investment, manpower, structure and culture to transform the university from a teaching-oriented university to a research-oriented university. Those who are young and energetic, who are accustomed to the research culture of foreign universities, can be brought into the university as assistant professors only if they can serve in the university for a long time and help in the transformation of the university. 

Even if at least 25 percent (about 2000 numbers) of teachers can be appointed on the basis of research specialization in the future, it can have a visible impact on the research capacity of the university. If this advertisement is completed, the entire leadership of the University including the Service Commission will get the opportunity to start reforming the University. Even if it doesn't reach the end, history will definitely evaluate the good efforts of those who started advertising positively.