Teachers, especially university professors, are beacons of knowledge, models of morality and guides of the new generation. They are considered to be not only subject experts, but also generous with integrity, discipline and responsibility. However, the reality of Tribhuvan University (Trivi) has undermined this ideal image.

It has become clear that hundreds of people who went abroad on study leave with monthly salary stayed there with or without completing their studies and did not even inform the university. The process of refunding the money has started after the university started identifying the person through the internal investigation and taking care of it.

It was the right of the university and the country to get skilled manpower in return for sending them on study leave. However, the situation has come to be satisfied with the fact that the amount invested has been recovered. This is not an achievement in itself, but it is definitely a drastic step towards making the organization and society responsible and accountable. 

Deputy professors, associate professors and professors of the University are getting study leave with monthly salary facility. There are also professors who have studied at universities in the country and abroad and come back in contact with the University. After the trend of not completing studies using study facilities, not getting admission even after taking money in the name of study leave, working elsewhere, living in hiding abroad, the Executive Council of Tertiary University formed a 3-member committee under the coordination of Associate Professor Jeevan Kafle to investigate. The

committee submitted a report concluding that more than 400 professors and staff misused study leave. Among these, 191 deputy professors, associate professors and professors were found to be living abroad on study leave. Similarly, according to the statistics of the University, more than 213 people have not completed their studies despite receiving monthly salary and benefits. Since then, the University has been active in raising investment.

had published a notice in the last week of June and asked the professors and staff who did not come to attend the university after completing their studies to get in touch. He asked to deposit the salary received while on study leave with interest in the bank account of the university within 35 days of publication of the notice. According to which some have already returned the money, 45 more people have come in contact to return the money. 

Even though study leave is a right, the problem has increased because the university has not paid attention to organizing it. As such, the inquiry committee could not even obtain systematic and uniform data of those who went on study leave and returned from the university. He compiled a list just by soliciting individual campuses and departments across the country. There is also a possibility that the name of the concerned campus head and the person close to the head of the department may be hidden.

Experts say that there are also politicians who stay in the country without completing their studies by taking leave and salary to do PhD, whose names may not have appeared in the list. Therefore, there is a possibility that there may be more professors than the list prepared by the inquiry committee. Even the latest generation was encouraged because the trend of going for study leave and returning or not was becoming strong and no one faced any action or fine.

The trend of misusing study leave was harming the university from many angles. Firstly, the expectation that skilled manpower will be prepared over time and its benefits will reach the university and society has also been shattered. Secondly, it is estimated that the university has lost more than one and a half billion because of students who do not complete their studies and stay abroad even if they do. After their professors went abroad, they were forced to make part-time and contractual appointments in the university, and that later became a problem.

This has also affected the dignity and credibility of the university and the country. At this time, Trivi's initiative to get in touch or pay the fine will help to remove the years of abuse as soon as it is successful. Study leave abuse is primarily linked to normal human behavior.

Many of them may be preaching to the society and the country, may be teaching morality. Some countries may be upset that they are not recognized. Such dualistic tendencies need to be discouraged. For that, the current initiatives of the University should succeed.

Refunding money does not serve the original purpose of the university. For that, efforts should be made from different angles. Transparency should be adopted while granting study leave facility. The current initiative of the University is the beginning of controlling this trend. Improvements such as clarifying the criteria, bringing transparency in the process of granting study leave, making the decision maker accountable, regularly updating the progress of the leave taker and immediately starting a search if there is no contact are needed.